Arashi Agata Rose
by questsky4334
Summary: Ari is an energetic young American, looking to learn about heroism from some of the best in the world at UA's inaugural summer training camp. While in Japan, Ari meets and connects with the hero Eraserhead, who has plenty to teach her about all aspects of life. When an arch-nemesis makes herself known to Ari she leans on Eraser and her new friends for support and safety.
1. Arashi Agata Avant: Origins

_**Her First Storm**_

Sonorous cracks of thunder split the night just as lightning flashed over head. The storm was right on top of the small coastal town. There would be no escaping its might, now. Luckily, Agata was already at the small community hospital and not on the roads, but Aedan had yet to reach her.

As soon as she felt the first contraction, she knew the barometric pressure was putting her into labor. Her quirk allowed her to feel the storm coming two days ago [Agata Walsh nee Brozik; Quirk: Human Barometric Pressure Gauge-feels air pressure and currents around her and predicts their meteorologic patterns]. Her husband, Aedan, was working with her to begin the process of preparing the town for inclement weather, and was still on the safety sites when Agata went into labor. His quirk allowed him to quickly carve out shelters in the ground, as needed [Aedan Walsh; Quirk: mineral bending - can control and manipulate the earth and stone around him to mold like it were clay, see: Cementoss]. They'd been assisting their civil committees non-stop the past two days to make sure they knew how heavy storm damage was likely to be. Then they plotted where the safest place for citizens to wait out the storm would be, and built shelters in those areas.

The safest place wasn't the hospital. But the storm and stress of work the last two days was causing further complications with what had already been a hard and overlong pregnancy. The baby was coming, and Aedan wasn't here with her. Agata felt scared and alone. She'd tried to ask him to just stay where he was: the wind whipped too strong along the roads he needed to take to get here. Agata knew she hadn't mustered enough courage in her voice when telling him to stay away, though: he'd be rushing to get to her.

She could feel the storm blustering and carving swaths of destruction through the town. Luckily, the hospital had back up generators and not enough intensive care patients to warrant the need for evacuating the whole campus. Those who needed stable care had been helicoptered out in the first round of storm preparation.

Anxiety licked like flames through her mind and body as the anesthetist prodded her and prepped her for the epidural. She felt the stabbing pain and pressure of the needle entering her spinal cord and then, blessedly, nothing much more than that. Noticing her growing unease, the nurse took the doctor to the side and asked that Agata be prescribed something to help calm her mood, as well. No one would be able to deliver this baby if Mom went into a full panic. The doctor nodded in agreement and the nurse administered the pill as the doctor made notes in Agata's chart.

Aedan careened around the curve of the road, knowing he was driving dangerously; knowing he wouldn't make it to Agata in time to see their baby born. To advocate for his wife. _She must be so terrified. What if they just have to cut her open, and I'm not there to comfort her? _

_That is the last option on her birth plan, but what if it's the only option?_

His eyes narrowed, elbows straightened, and his knuckles tightened around the wheel. Steely resolve set through his features as he took another curve just a little too fast. He could feel the wind lashing out at the metal doors of the vehicle, but the thought to slow down came a second too late. With a deafening gale, the wind punched at the car and flung it to the side of the road. There was nothing anyone could have done. The car, the tree, Aedan's body: everything split as lightning quick as the bolts in the sky overhead. He was gone.

Agata felt the shift in her mental state. She didn't want to be this relaxed. She wanted to be present. She could feel the blood draining from her face and fingertips as the physical numbness began to match her low mental capacity. A light flicked on in her mind, somewhere in the encroaching darkness. Something bad had happened, and it was only going to get worse. Her intuition assured her that this day would only continue down a path of destruction. Loose tendrils of thought reached out for memories of Aedan. Agata drew up a mental image of his smile, his strong arms, his earthy scent, but she couldn't muster them for very long.

"Mom's losing a lot of blood."

"We need to orient this baby quick."

"Get me the forceps and read me the baby's stats as we continue, please."

The alert and procedural panic of the energy around Agata could not reach her. She was oblivious to the world of the hospital room. Oblivious to the radiant energy of her baby as its cries rang out. Her eyes had closed what seemed like ages ago. Her breathing shallow.

Her reflexes took over for her shocked and overwhelmed mind. Her body functioning only on the basis of survival. Then it hit.

The bolt of lightning somehow hit the emergency generators that had been keeping the hospital functioning in the storm. Everything went black. Flashlights were quickly acquired, but it was too late for Agata. She had slipped into unconsciousness long ago, and her body followed her into the oblivion minutes after the intense flash of light.

The baby was strong, healthy, and enduring. She wriggled in the arms of the nurses, crying out for the mother she would never get to meet. She was whisked away by an older nurse to be washed and wrapped in blankets and spirited away to safety. "Arashi," the anesthesiologist in the delivery room exclaimed. Since there were no parents to name the child, this exclamation was put on the birth certificate: they had to keep track of the babe born to the storm somehow.

_**Her Adoption**_

The next day, her aunt, Cecilie, was spotted driving up from the airport, on the same road where Aedan's car was being extricated from the copse of trees it had smashed into. Overcome by grief at the crash site, Cecilie vowed to take care of Arashi and adopted her before the funeral arrangements for the baby's parents were even organized.

As an international songstress, she'd lived a wild life with her husband, Patrick, right up until the birth of her own child. But she was a doting mother to the infant, Arashi. Her own son, Frantisek Raad, was a year old when Arashi Agata was brought home. She sang the babes to sleep every night [Cecilie Rose, nee Brozik, m. Raad, dv. Rose; Quirk: Siren Song - manipulation of her singing abilities allow her to control the mood of any room she sings to] and woke them with waffles and fruit each morning.

As a toddler, Agata never knew the difference between Aunt and Mother, Uncle and Father; although, Cecilie was very earnest about helping Agata understand what had happened to her parents. It was just facts for Agata, and she never understood the sadness and pity in people's reactions to her answering their questions about her life two toddlers grew up so well together that no one ever second guessed they were siblings, that is until Agata would bluntly explain it all to them when they called Fran her brother.

Fran developed his quirk of sculpting wood as soon as he turned four. He would carve little figurines out of scraps of branches for Agata and then the two would take them outside and destroy them playing "Heroes and Villains." Fran always loved to play the heroes, saving the town and destroying the villains into little piles of wood pulp. Agata played the villains well. She laughed maniacally and always came up with the most devious plans for Fran to foil.

It was playing this game where Agata's quirk showed up a little earlier than expected. Fran was five and Agata three-and-a-half. Fran had foiled her latest scheme to send the civilians down the stream and into the dangerous and terrifying sewer drain when Fran's hero quickly created a dam to block the river's flow. Angry because she couldn't possibly win without a quirk, Agata screamed, "THAT'S NO FAIR! NO QUIRKS!" and threw herself onto the ground.

The air above her began whipping her ginger locks up and tangling them, bringing the fragile wooden bodies of the civilians up and into the mix. All at once, a figurine was launched at Fran and hit him on the eyebrow. A gash split open as he gasped and then began to panic. His vision filled with blood, and Agata looked up from her tantrum in shock.

She screamed for Cecilie and Patrick and ran to Fran to try and help. Cecilie rushed out and grasped Agata frantically, "What's wrong?"

When she spotted Fran's wound, she gasped and shrieked, "What did you do?!"

Patrick bounded outside and bundled Fran up in his arms, scooping Agata into the embrace with him. "It's okay," he cooed. "We just need to get Fran to the hospital to clean this up and probably get stitches."

Patrick was always the calm one. But Agata worried over the many reasons she was in trouble. Not only did she injure Fran, but they were not supposed to be playing outside in the street, either. Paparazzi were fairly common in the Raad family experience, and playing in public only gave the vultures reason to circle. Agata and Fran were supposed to limit outside time to the backyard or to a time when Patrick or Cecilie could be with them.

Cecilie followed close behind her husband and children, checking the area for cameramen. She strapped the children into their seats in the car and pulled drive through napkins out of the glove compartment before she squished herself into the back seat, as well. While she applied pressure to the sobbing boy's eyebrow, she peered over to Agata and asked again, "What happened?"

Shame flooded Agata once more and she recoiled from her aunt's gaze. "Honey, I can tell you didn't mean to hurt him, and I'm sorry that I was so loud earlier. I got scared when I saw all this blood. But I need to know what happened so I can explain it to the doctors."

"I think I did it," the toddler peeped.

"What do you mean by that, honey?" Patrick asked from the front seat.

"He made me angry because he cheated -"

"I did not," Fran sobbed.

"Shhh, Fran, let her explain. You focus on staying still and breathing, okay," Cecilie tutted.

"Well, I got mad and I started screaming and I think I asked the wind to hurt him and it did."

"You mean, your quirk is controlling the wind?"

Agata shrugged, not sure how to respond to that. All she could remember in the flood of emotions was her anger and her desire to hurt Fran and make him pay for cheating.

"Sweetie, we don't use our quirks on others. We understand that this was an accident and that you didn't know you were going to make _this_ happen, but it is so important to not hurt others with our quirks."

Agata held Patrick's gaze in the rearview mirror while Cecilie attempted to comfort her.

"I know that, but I didn't know I had one!" Agata desperately retorted.

The guilt and the fear and the pain were too much for her little mind to comprehend and the panic was setting in. _I know I did something wrong, why can't they just let me be?_

"Agata, listen. It is okay to feel bad. We know you are sorry and we are not trying to scold you. You are not in trouble right now. We are all safe and sound and we are going to take care of Fran. When we make mistakes like this, the important thing is to acknowledge them and apologize to the people that we may have hurt, alright? Can you apologize to Fran for hurting him, even though we all know that it was an accident?" Patrick tried to calm the toddler down.

The wind outside the car was picking up and pushing against the car's sides. Her quirk's raw ability was strong.

"I don't think it was an accident. She was being a sore loser," Fran choked out.

"I am sorry! It was an accident, Fran, honest! Please don't hate me!" Agata shrilly corrected him as she shifted to face him.

She tried hugging him, but the stubborn little boy just _hmphed_ and ignored her pleas.

"Fran, she really didn't mean to hurt you," Cecilie chimed in. "Look at how sad and scared Agata is, too."

As Fran peered around the napkins covering the injured half of his face, he saw the terror on his cousin's features and his guard fell. "Oh….

"But still, don't ever do that to me again. That was mean."

"I didn't know that would happen, but I promise, I will never use my quirk on you, ever again!"

As the car rolled to a stop in front of the emergency department exit, the family had calmed and collected their nerve to go in and sit with Fran as he got his first set of stitches. It wouldn't be the last, for either of the two rough and tumble children.

_**"Ari" - Origin Story**_

Kindergarten loomed around the corner for Agata. She didn't look forward to meeting new people. It was always exhausting. They'd ask her name and then look to her Aunt Cecilie and say, "And what's Mom's name?"

It always ended in confusion when her response repeated, and then she'd have to go into the story of how her parents died, and this is her aunt. Agata had been dreading this day for weeks.

"School's a blast. You shouldn't be scared. And anyways, why don't you just not tell people about it?" She knew he wasn't lying, Fran didn't like to lie to her, but it didn't stop her from feeling nervous. _And I can't just not tell them. Aunt Cecilie always says I shouldn't forget my mom or not want to talk about her. Why try to make people not feel weird and not be honest? That's stupid._

"They're just going to ask if _your_ my mom, Aunt Cecilie. And I hate when they do that!"

"I'll introduce myself as your aunt, first. How 'bout that?"

"No, I don't know. I don't think they're smart enough to get that. They'll just stupidly ask me about my family, 'cause it's what they always do. Why'd you have to name me after her, anyways?"

Stricken, Cecilie kneeled to be level with her niece. "I named you after your mother because she was an amazing woman who saved many lives, including yours. If you don't want to have confusion, I understand, but never chastise me for helping you remember your mother, understand?

"She was my sister, too, you know, and it hurts me to talk about her every time I introduce you, too."

A little hurt and a little defensive, the rebellious toddler looked into her aunt's eyes and said, "Well, please call me _Ari_ from now on: short for _Arashi_."

Quickly standing to her feet, Cecilie felt the lash of her words and just turned on her heel and curtly said, "Fine. Get in the car, please. We're going."

That day at school, no one questioned her name or her family. Fran got dropped off at his class, first, since he was in first grade and the family's resident expert on the elementary school. He didn't let his mom kiss him too long in front of his friends. But she still had a few tears in her eyes, nevertheless. Cecilie dropped Ari off at the doors to her classroom, trying to hug and kiss her goodbye, their conversation this morning forgotten in the young woman's mind. "Goodbye Agata: I love you so so much!"

"Love you, too, Aunt Cecilie! And it's _Ari_, remember?" She mumbled out of the side of her mouth.

Accepting the phase and pushing away the hurt, she nodded and said, "'Scuse me, I forgot. Goodbye _Ari_."

At the end of school, Fran found Ari in her classroom's line and wandered over. "What are you doing?

"You're going to get us in trouble. Mrs. Miller said that we had to stay in our lines!?"

"Relax. My teacher doesn't even notice me, and Mrs. Miller is talking to her friends, look," Fran confidently retorted.

"How did the new name work today?"

"It was great!" Ari giggled. "I really like it. Reya commented on how pretty it sounded, and when I told them it was short for Arashi which meant _storm_ in Japanese, they were so jealous!"

"Sweet!" Fran said.

Patrick waved to their teachers as he waltzed in and signed the two kids out. Once they were loaded into their safety seats and the click of Patrick's own seatbelt sounded, he cheerily asked, "Where to kiddos?

"Want to have some first-day celebratory tacos?"

"Yea!" They both shouted from the backseat.

Dreaming of being a hero

When Ari was 10, her school hosted the first career day of her education. There were adults loitering in the halls, waiting for their turn to go into different classrooms and speak. A tall man in a black bodysuit with bright zig-zags across it and a red cape marched towards the 5th grade class at the end of the hall.

In Mr. Blakely's classroom, Callan and his cronies (Doug and Trevor) were harrassing Janie and Ari about the tabloid article that Aunt Cecilie had been featured in the day before. "They said she's been spotted on dates with 3 other guys this week, alone."

"Yea, she's a hoe, so my mom says," Doug tagged on.

"Well, I won't talk shit about your mom," Ari began.

"Ari! That's a bad word!" Janie jumped in.

"So what?" Ari whipped over her shoulder. "I don't know any of your moms, but you all are pathetic little turds, so it doesn't matter what you think about my aunt. It doesn't matter who she dates; that's no one's business, but her own."

All the children in the conversation looked confused. "Isn't she married to your Uncle, though?" Trevor dared.

"Yea, if she's married to your uncle and dating other men, she's a hoe," Callan threw out.

Ari decked him. "So what? You wish you were a hoe, Callan," she spat as he covered his bleeding nose.

A tsk sounded behind her. "That wasn't very heroic, you know." Ari recognized the voice from tv.

"Electoplant!" The boys sounded in unison.

The rest of the children in the classroom began cheering for the pro hero and jumped on his legs and arms.

"CHILDREN! OFF OF HIM! NOW!" yelled Mr. Blakely, unable to keep decorum in the classroom. He pulled at the little bodies and moved them gently away from the hero. "I am so very sorry, Mr. Electoplant."

"Please, please, call me Electoplant. No mister needed. You have a child with a bleeding nose over here," he nodded his antennae towards Callan.

Surprised that she hadn't been outed, Ari stared, wide-eyed into Electoplant's mask. She couldn't see his gaze, but she could feel it. Her focus broke when she heard Mr. Blakely fussing over Callan and his bloodied face, "Callan! What happened? Your mother is going to be very upset, you know."

"Ari -" Callan began

Electoplant's head whipped to face Callan directly as he cut him off, "These boys were teasing the girls about something they saw in a tabloid. I thought I heard the word hoe."

Ari imagined Electoplant's eyebrows raising. She smirked, but immediately dropped it when she heard him continue, "And then this little one," he patted Ari's head, "punched him in the face. Not undeserved," he shrugged, "but also not okay."

"ARI! We do not punch people, no matter what he was calling your Aunt Cecilie," Mr. Blakely couldn't hide his bias, he always followed the Rose-Raad family tabloids.

He told himself that it was simply so he could better understand the attitude Ari wore like a girdle around her. In reality, he couldn't resist watching every little thing the family went through. It's so intriguing, and this kid is in my class - my class.

Ari intuitively sensed the sick satisfaction her instructor got from watching her life unfold in magazines and did her best to stay away from him. Yet, she always caught herself needing his intervention in her interactions with Callan and his cronies or with Peter or any of her classmates, with the exception of Janie.

"Well, this does give me a good example to work with to begin my discussion," Electoplant deftly took control of the classroom away from Mr. Blakely. "Why don't you get that punk's nose patched up and I'll get them settled and begin." Then he addressed the class, "Who wants to hear what it's like to be a hero?"

The majority of the class cheered heartily. Janie looked back and forth to Ari and Electoplant, who was watching the young pair closely. Ari turned on her heel and slid back into her seat, "Come on, Janie. We might as well listen."

Janie smiled. Her friend may have looked frustrated and annoyed, but Janie could tell that Ari was intrigued by this pro hero, excited even. It sucks that Cecilie was in the papers yesterday. Ari had been so excited about Career Day before this. It's good Electoplant is talking first, cause Ari loves hero stuff. "Is your hand okay, Ari?" Janie leaned over to ask once she was seated, as well.

"Yea, it's fine," Ari sulked. "I hope his nose bleeds for, like, an hour."

"Oh come on, you don't mean that," Janie prodded.

"I guess not," she sighed and looked remorseful. "Maybe his fancy designer sweater will be ruined though!" Ari laughed and shook off the frustration she was feeling. "He's really cool, huh?" Ari whispered to Janie, eyes tracking Electoplant striding to the front of the room.

"The most important part about being a hero, is knowing what comes after the fight," he began. "Once the villain is nullified; once the storm passes; how do us heroes help the people affected?"

His dramatic pause opened the door to a few shouted responses: "Build houses! Donate cans! Hugs!" peppered him from the small crowd of 10 year olds.

Why would anyone donate cans? Ari snidely thought. But what do heroes do?

Electoplant laughed, "Not exactly what I had in mind. When you see a hero fighting on tv, what do you feel?"

"WOW!" Peter Billings yelled two rows away from Ari.

"That's what you feel?" Electoplant clarified. Peter nodded.

"Tch," Ari responded quietly, then added to the class, "Fear."

This kid is really real, Electoplant thought. "That's what a lot of people feel. Excitement actually comes from fear, ya know. And a hero's job is to help the people feeling that fear feel safe again."

Ari leaned forward, reminded of her parents as she listened to him talk. They were heroes, right? They tried to help people feel safe even before things happened. I want to be like them. I want to be like him. When I grow up, I want to be a hero.


	2. The Eraserhead Tryst: Arriving in Japan

Ari felt the floor vibrate as the plane went in for touchdown. _I fucking hate this part_, she thought, taking deep breaths and focusing on keeping her quirk from activating.

It activated whenever she was nervous, or scared, or any sort of overpowering emotion really. Wind Manipulation (the registered name of her quirk) was as reflexive as her breathing. Part of her brain was always geared to just keeping her quirk shut off: she had to be very regimented about her thoughts that way.

And when it came to planes, she was always scared; the roar of the engines and the whooshing of the natural winds outside always reminded her of a violent storm. Something buried deep within her innately hated storms, but she was born in one, after all; hence, her cheesy ass real name, Arashi.

Jolted from her meditations by the wheels hitting solid earth, the air around Ari tensed with her nerves. _4 beats in, Ari; hold for 7; 8 beats out. You're almost out of here. 11 hours of Hell, almost done. _

Distracted, now, Ari smiled to herself, somehow connecting 11 hours of Hell to 11 minutes in Heaven, a game she'd played at her 19th birthday party less than two months ago. _That game is so juvenile, but it was _so _worth it. I never leave a closet looking the way I went in,_ she smirked. _Ugh, I'm going to have to meet some fun people that I can flirt with, fast. That will help me feel better after this fucking flight. _

When the cabin door opened and people began standing, Ari slyly used her quirk to gather all of her things put them back in her bag, and slung it over her shoulder. Ducking to keep from hitting the overhead compartment as she stood, she stepped on the seats and over the suitcases littering the aisle. Her tall form was one of the first off the aircraft.

The airport was bright and packed with people. She stopped for a moment and took in her surroundings, adjusting to the written characters that populated the signs around her.

Tokyo was an international city. There was no concern with being able to get around with her English. Still, Ari had been studying Japanese for the last couple of years, knowing she wanted to visit the birthplace of some of her favorite heroes someday, and she looked forward to testing her knowledge of the language. When she was accepted into the summer training camp at UA High for new graduates, she doubled down and worked with her best friend, Janie, to become fluent.

Janie was one of her 7 main friends back home. They'd gone to middle and high school together. _It's going to be a weird 8 weeks without all of them, especially her_. But Janie was coming to join Ari for a week of traveling before they went home to look at a residency or college or… well, something. For now, Ari was purely focused on using this experience to develop her hero skills and training.

The late summer meant downtime in between terms for the Japanese students, who stayed in dorms on the UA campus, so Ari wouldn't be staying there. _I wouldn't really want to anyway. They'll be training alongside us enough. From what I hear, UA never stops._ The camp organizer, Midnight, had been gracious enough to help Ari find a little flat she could rent short-term.

Ari flipped open her little notebook and triple-checked the address of the apartment she'd been recommended. Ari mused over whether she might be the only non-Japanese student in the training camp, _It's an internationally renowned program. They've got to have others, right? It'd be weird to meet another student walking around the apartment complex or something and not know it._

Back home, Ari had her own apartment already; she'd had it since she was 15. Living on her own wasn't new, but new social settings always made her a bit nervous. Her cousin, Fran, liked to tease her that when she got nervous she always looked even more haughty than usual.

It was quick, picking up her bags from the Baggage Claim area. And, as soon as she stepped outside, she was able to find a taxi service waiting for a patron. The driver got out when Ari flagged them and helped her get all the bags and boxes loaded in.

After closing the door of the taxi and directing the driver to take her to the complex, Ari relaxed into the back seat and closed her eyes. _I'll have plenty of time to take in the city's sights. For now, I just want to stop moving!_ She thought, nausea seeping back into her limbs from her motion sickness. "_You know, for someone whose quirk is best utilized by flying and causes movement all around them, it's super ironic that you are so prone to motion sickness,"_ Ari could hear the sarcastic lilt of her friend Jaune's voice in her head.

Jaune was another of her main 7 friends and loved to tease and prod Ari. He worked as a chef and by-contract hero back in the Bay. The police hired him on an as-needed basis to work cases that could use his Sensitive Palette quirk to sniff out clues in the case. Ari and Janie referred to him as the Super Sniffer or Hounddog when they wanted to make him angry.

But Jaune was also a big connection for the two young women into the hero world. He knew almost everyone on the police force because of the easy way that he made friends. They'd been introduced to the chief of police once already at a party Jaune catered when Ari and Janie were teens. And the chief loved getting to meet Ari: he and his wife were huge fans of Ari's aunt, Cecilie and her band, back in the day, _The Silver Sirens_.

Ari wasn't sure about her future in the hero world, still; although, she knew for sure she _wanted_ to be a hero. She'd been training as a battle hero her entire high school career, and loved combat techniques and sparring. Her uncle opened a gym and let her help run it, even. She hadn't actually had to confront a villain at any point, but she had gotten into some pretty bad tussles at school with idiots that wanted to pick fights.

That was the reason, when given the selection on her application of "Rescue" versus "Combat" Ari had hesitantly circled "Rescue." She was curious about how her quirk might be bountifully more useful saving people than in fighting. There were plenty of options and too many she wanted to pick. _That's what Mom and Dad used their quirks for too: Rescue_, Ari had thought.

The taxi arrived at her apartment complex and the driver, again, graciously helped her unload her bags and boxes from the car's trunk. "Thank you!" Ari happily sang in Japanese, handing the driver far too much cash as a tip. "I still have to go over the currency and make sure I have it all right in my head! Keep whatever change, I don't mind!"

Her new apartment was on the second floor of a small complex, not too far from the campus. She trudged up the staircase with her bags and boxes, having to take a couple of trips back and forth. The keys were hanging in the lock with a little note affixed to them.

_Welcome! Thank you for joining our community for the end of the summer! We are very excited to have you. This is your key and spare. Please do your best to keep track of them. We have left another note of community rules on the dining table inside. Have fun settling in!_

Ari unlocked the door and looked around the complex behind her. She spotted the little old man she'd felt watching her at the corner of the next building, just before he turned out of her view. _Must be the building manager_, she thought to herself. She waved, really just for good measure, realizing a second too late that the person probably had no idea she was waving at them.

She awkwardly dropped her arm and began dragging her boxes and bags over the threshold of the little one-bedroom pre-furnished apartment space. The door closed firmly behind her, but Ari had to open it once more, realizing she'd left the keys in the lock, _I'm just jet-lagged and nauseous_, she thought.

The living area had a small flatscreen television, a comfortably plush loveseat and a traditional Japanese table that served as both a living room focal point and dining space. The kitchen was compact and perfect for Ari, with just enough room on the end of the counter for her to get some plants. "Fred, Jr.!" she exclaimed to the room, dashing back over to her carry-on and retrieving a small frond of fern in a little pot from the side pocket.

Carrying Fred, Jr. over to the counter space, Ari gently placed him down and sprinkled him with some water from her water bottle. "You're home, for now, Baby. You just enjoy it over here okay?"

Next, Ari moved to the living room window, fully opening the curtains, so that sunlight could pour in and reach little Fred in the back corner of the space.

Ari searched through her luggage, eventually having to just turn the overhead light on and found the box marked "Kitchen" and began unpacking the linens she had brought, along with some of her favorite food stuffs from back home. The cabinets had everything she needed, really. _Of course I have over-packed and prepared. _She laughed at herself. _Oh well_.

Ari's plane had landed around 5 pm local time. By sundown, the kitchen was neatly unpacked and she dragged her two suitcases down the short hall and into the bedroom. In another hour and half Ari had both her bags empty, the bed freshly made, and was finishing sorting her toiletries in the bathroom across the hall.

_And I still forgot toothpaste_. Ari sighed to herself and just decided to leave the issue for the night. _I'll go in the morning to the nearest shop and start exploring. _The view from her living room window wasn't honestly the greatest, but the twinkling lights of the city were enticing enough to make Ari want to go for a quick flight around the nearby rooftops.

She'd left the keys on the dining table next to the second note from her apartment management. They _clinked _against one another as Ari scooped them up and jogged back into her room to grab a black baggy hoodie to tug on over her outfit. The fishnets and shorts wouldn't keep her legs very warm if it was more than a little breezy out, but Ari was used to coastal weather from back home, so she wasn't too concerned.

She double checked all the lights and locks and flung open her front door, stepping out to the concrete balcony. She took a deep breath in and out, flexing er quirk and warming up a bit before flying after such a relatively long time. Then she used it to bring the door key to the lock and click everything shut. With a deep breath in, Ari felt the buoyancy of lifting herself from the ground, and with her next breath out she quietly maneuvered out from under the overhang and up to the roof of the complex.

She let the toes of her boots skim the top of the roof as she took in her surroundings and oriented herself. The lights from downtown flashed with neon hues and Ari couldn't help but grin, letting her natural curiosity begin pulling her towards the flashing. When she felt her quirk warm up and beg for expression, Ari checked her surroundings and zoomed forward, propelling herself like a bullet from a gun.

She loved doing quick bursts with her quirk. _Going fast is the most fun part_, she internally squealed. Her body whizzed past a few buildings, hair tangling, but she only kept the speed for a minute before slowing. "_Reckless and unfettered quirk use is fun, sure, but also the most dangerous," _she remembered her middle school coach saying. "_If you're going to do something idiotic, like fly all out at top speed, you better wear a lot of protective gear or only do it in short spurts. Don't ever let me catch you doing something like that again."_

Ari smiled at the memory. She'd been racing a punk named Peter Pinkling who thought he could beat Ari from one side of the bay to the other. His quirk was a set of bat wings that, Ari laughed lightly anytime she thought about it, didn't work well without Peter launching himself off a tall building and gliding to his destination.

Ari was across the bay and back before Peter could even float on the wake of the drafts she created. But she'd been caught by the quirk coach her uncle had hired for her and punished with only being allowed combat training for the next week. It was brutal. Ari loved using her quirk in training.

On one of the higher buildings, Eraserhead sat perched, scanning the drunken crowd below for suspicious behavior. He hadn't been called into any investigations with the police, recently, but he still carried out his nightly patrols over the more dangerous parts of the city. In his peripheral, he caught a quick burst of movement and a flaming shock of red hair whiz by him.

He felt the wind buoy up around him as they passed. The figure slowed two more blocks down, directly above the main strip of bars in this neighborhood. Eraserhead could see the form, floating upside down on wind they seemed to be creating, peering down at the street below. They slowly drifted down towards the ground, head first.

_They're young, whoever this is._ He swung himself closer and focused his attention on the movements she seemed to be watching. A rowdy pack of young men were crowded around a smaller group of ladies who were visibly expressing discomfort. The men seemed quite drunk and would not leave the young women alone. Anger boiling up in both onlookers, Ari was the first to act, still not aware of Eraserhead's presence.

She gathered up a small maelstrom of paper litter and gently sent it flying and swirling between the two groups, covering the faces of the men with larger pieces so the women were given the opportunity to move away and dash off in the opposite direction.

Eraserhead sat back, impressed with her use of deterrent rather than direct confrontation. Her logical response and strength of skill sent a little wave of respectful admiration down his back. Then he realized who the young woman was. _Arashi Rose. Quirk: Wind Manipulation. Student at the training camp that begins in two days time. Perfect, she's already acting illegally and isn't even under the jurisdiction of the school, yet. Reminds me of those idiots I had a few years ago, _Eraserhead thought, shutting down the feelings of attraction that he'd momentarily let slip through in the second before.

Another hour passed. Ari never caught onto Eraserhead's presence, not even 50 feet from her. She lazily watched the people below, too tired to float down and get caught up in the deluge of activity herself. _Tomorrow, though_, she thought, _Tomorrow I am going to check all of this out._

Taking a deep breath, she rose back above the rooftops and pulled out her phone to check which direction she needed to head to get home. "Oh good!" she quietly said aloud, "I'm not _super_ turned around." Checking her phone every now and again, she slowly made her way back to her temporary home.

Eraserhead shook his head as she passed him once again, much slower this time. _Still too young and naive to practice sensible awareness_. He ignored the strong urge he had to follow her, grab her by the shoulders, shake her and admit that he'd been watching her without her knowing that entire time. _She needs to pay better attention to her surroundings_.

He saw the light of her phone screen flick back on and sighed, knowing that she was also at least somewhat lost now. _This has to be her first night in town. How is she not completely exhausted?_ he thought as his own phone _pinged _from inside his pocket. It was the police, asking for reconnaissance on a potential museum heist with a new group of villains.

Meanwhile, Ari locked the front door of her flat and slowly walked back to her room, plugging her phone into the charger next to her bed and crawling under the covers.

On her second night in town, Ari waited until almost eleven o'clock and wandered back to the street she had flown over the night before. The sea of neon flashed and glowed around her, buffeting her to the first bar.

All the bars on the street corner were packed, spilling out into the thick and winding lines around the street food vendors that lined the sidewalks. Slightly overwhelmed by the size of the crowd, Ari decided to bolster her courage with food. _I haven't actually eaten since this morning. I got distracted with hiking around. Crap. I haven't even gotten groceries yet. Oops._

She took a moment to distinguish the different scents that permeated the air around her and honed in on one. The familiar scent of grease, potatoes, onions and seasoned meat scintillated and she nearly floated over to the stand."These smell delicious," she sighed.

Then, remembering herself, she switched to Japanese and repeated herself. "Thank you!" responded the stall owner.

The older woman beamed with pride at the statement and began fixing Ari a serving. "How much?" she asked.

Ari took the greasy dough ball wrapped in paper in exchange for her money. "Thank you!" she sang, taking a small bite. _Oop. That's so hot, but so delicious_, she thought. "What is this called?"

"Korokke," the man behind the stall responded as the woman continued her work.

Ari watched her breathe a small stream of fire under one of the spent burners and smiled. She gestured between the pair, and asked, "Are you two partners?"

"She is my wife, yes," the blue-haired and orange-eyed man nodded.

"How awesome! That's so cool that you get to run a place like this with her. This is so delicious, by the way!" The food was bringing Ari's mood back up to her usual pep and she turned to the tipsy man behind her and said, "You have got to get at least two of these!"

"Okay!" he responded, stepping up to take Ari's place at the front.

After he ordered and Ari watched him take the first bite, she prodded. "They're delicious right?! They're amazing!" she called over the counter again. "How did you start making them? Is this a family business?"

Somehow balancing asking questions and learning about the couple running the booth with calling bar goers over to try the tasty fried food, Ari chatted with them for another half hour. She learned that the Yonemura family had run this stall for two generations, having migrated from a rice-growing village to the city. The wife was of the Yonemura family. The husband married into the business, but their 21-year-old daughter, Kayda, planned to continue on the legacy, especially since she inherited her mother's quirk.

Tonight was her night off, even though she usually did not go far. Their little stall was one of the more popular thanks to Kayda's creative input on how to add variety to their korokke fillings. With this, Michi Chiaki, the blue-haired man, passed Ari another dough ball. "Oh no, one moment, let me pay you!" she tried to insist.

"Just try it! This is our daughter's favorite. She actually came up with the recipe. It's carrots, leeks, pork and some hot peppers. It's spicy!" he warned just as Ari took the first bite.

She slowly chewed, mulling over the flavors and smiled broadly. "This is amazing." A small breeze picked up as the spice kicked in and Ari gasped. She felt the immediate flush of her cheeks, "I love spicy foods. This is perfect!"

When Ari tried to pay him, he refused her money. "You've brought in so many customers. I love your enthusiasm. My wife is a wonderful cook, and at this rate, we'll sell out before the bars even close."

"Yes! I love a challenge," Ari thrust her arm into the air. "I can totally help you make that happen, if you'll let me," she offered.

When Chiaki turned to look for something, his wife, Tsubasa Yonemura was there behind him, holding out their daughter's apron for Ari to put on. Ari gasped and said, "Really?! Oh, I am honored," she gave a slight bow as a thank you and flipped the apron strap over her head.

"All right," she drawled out, "What can I do?"

Chiaki set Ari to work on the side of the stall with some chopped up korokke to hand out as samples. In another thirty minutes, the space around the stall was filled with people trying to catch the little bits of dough Ari was tossing to them in their mouths. She danced and sang and called out to people who looked just tipsy enough to let her embarrass them a little by pegging them in the face with the korokke, loving every minute of it.

A blue-haired and orange-eyed young woman pushed her way to the front of the crowd, looking for the _flaming-haired American_ the other regulars at the bar had told her was dancing around her parents' food stall. She'd been watching from the edges for a moment, confused and embarrassed that her parents would let someone like that help them sell the korokke they worked so hard to make, but this American was cute, shaking her hips and flipping her hair in... _Wait, that's my apron, isn't it?_ Kayda thought.

When she made her way forward to speak, what seemed like a stray dough ball landed right in her open mouth. Ari winked at her as Kayda quickly shut her mouth and chewed, letting the familiar and delicious flavors dance across her palette.

Ari watched the newcomer savor the food, too distracted to see the family resemblance right away. "Isn't it delicious? You should buy one! It's nice and greasy, so it's also a great hangover cure," she cheekily intoned, wiggling her hips. "Oh, and if you like spicy stuff, you should try this one!" Ari unwittingly held out a sample of the recipe Kayda created and loved.

Kayda plucked it from Ari's fingertips and popped it into her mouth, holding Ari's gaze. "I hate it," she flatly said, earning a gasping chortle from her father. Her mother had been laughing the entire time and at this statement from her bold and teasing daughter, Yonemura lost it, embers sparking from her nose.

Red hair whipped back and forth as Ari looked to the older couple and then back to the woman in front of her. _I can't believe I didn't see that resemblance earlier. It's so damn clear, Ari!_ she thought to herself.

"I'm Kayda," she smugly said, reaching out to take the tray from Ari and hand it over to Chiaki. Addressing her parents, she continued, "I can't believe you would work a cute young thing like her when she's so obviously here to have fun." She turned to wink at Ari and reached for her wrist.

Ari gladly offered it up to be grabbed and leaned in as she felt Kayda tug her in close so she could speak directly into Ari's ear. "You should take off my clothes," she seductively whispered.

"Sure," Ari responded, still slightly giddy from the attention of the crowd, but looking Kayda up and down, admiring her.

Kayda mirrored Ari, but her gaze stopped on Ari's waist and lingered, making Ari blush. "My apron. You should start with my apron," she cocked her head towards the food stall, "Give it back to these abusers and come eat with me and my friends."

"Oh! Okay," Ari began, reaching one hand behind her to search for the apron strings as she turned her back to Kayda and addressed her parents. "Is that alright?" she asked Chiaki and Yonemura.

Ari felt Kayda's fingers play around her own, guiding her hand down to the apron strings, but pulling them undone, herself, anyways. Ari's body temperature steadily increased at the attention.

Kayda's family waved Ari off, "Go have fun. Thank you for your help!" they both insisted, in unison.

Kayda lead the group of seven over to the communal tables and sat Ari down next to her on the benches. "Shou," Kayda called out, and a green eyed man with scales along his cheekbones looked up at her. "Will you go get the good shit, so this Yankee can taste some real cuisine?"

"Of course!" Shou said, rising and getting one more from the group to join him.

Ari watched them move from stall to stall as the group chatted around her and peppered her with questions. By the time the pair got back, arms laden with food and beers for everyone, Ari had shared enough about her background that one of the girls, Rankin was looking up her Aunt Cecilie's band on her phone. "Oh I know that song! These are classics! That's so awesome! She raised you?"

Ari laughed and looked around at everything in front of her, then to Kayda for direction, as she responded, "Yup. I wouldn't use the word _classics _around her, though. She's sensitive about comments that imply her music isn't still popular."

Kayda reached across Ari, making sure that their arms brushed against one another and handed her a skewer with dango dripping in sauce. Ari popped one in her mouth, savouring the rich flavor and took a sip of the beer Shou plopped down in front of her. Ari hung out with the group for the rest of the night.

By about two, Eraserhead had finished his night reconnaissance for the case the police called him in on and he swung through the neighborhood to see how the night had been going. Immediately, he spotted Ari's bright red hair and, next to her, Kayda's bright blue braid. Eraser knew Kayda from his patrols and meals in the area. She was tough and bold and direct as all hell when she needed to be. He watched them interact for a moment from the fire escape of a building bordering the busy area.

Kayda felt his gaze and looked up to search for him in the darkness between the neon. She found him and waved a greeting, and he nodded back. Eraserhead somehow felt responsible for Ari, already. _She's an adult and she isn't even under your tutelage until the training camp begins. She should be able to handle anything that happens and if she can't, then she shouldn't be here_, he tried to convince himself to stop worrying over her, _especially from the shadows, Shota. She doesn't even know you're here. Besides, she's in good hands with Kayda there._

After a short pause, he responded to his thoughts aloud, "That's what I'm worried about." _Their body language is very physical and sexually charged. _He rose fully to move away from the area before he could think about anything more. _That isn't my business. She's an adult and can make her own decisions, foolish as they may be_, he reiterated to himself.

The next morning Ari woke up on a futon in a strange room. Kayda's blue hair splayed over bare skin, but, without wiggling something, Ari couldn't tell whose it was. As her body adjusted to wakefulness, Ari couldn't quell the urge to stretch. Her limbs reached for opposite ends of the room and every muscle in her body tensed as she shifted to one side, then another. A yawn took over and when Ari lightly moaned and opened her eyes once more, Kayda's fiery orange gaze was waiting. "Morning, Firecracker," Kayda smiled.

"I should say the same thing to you," Ari teased back.

"That was really fun," Kayda continued, "but like we talked about last night…."

Ari cut through her trailing thought, "... Neither of us want to make this a habit; neither of us wants a real relationship. I know. We're on the same page. Although, I genuinely would love to have you as a friend. I'm glad I got to meet all of you last night."

Kayda nodded against Ari's bare chest and snuggled back in, wrapping her arms tighter around her waist. Ari brought one of her arms back around Kayda to rub her back and settle into the cuddle.

After waking up slowly and making breakfast with each other, the women finally dressed and parted ways. "Send me a text if you are in the neighborhood tonight," Kayda sent Ari off, giving her a lingering kiss on the cheek before they separated.

The ginger smiled and waved, practically floating down the stairs to the street. _I needed that. That was so refreshing. _Ari pulled her phone out to check the time and send a quick message to her group chat from back home, **SF Trash**.

Ari - **Hey guys! Just wanted to check in from Japan! **

_It's a whole 13 hours behind there, so it's 10 at night there. _Jaune's response was almost immediate.

Jaune - **Finally! How are you, ma cherie?**

Ari - **I'm good. I'm all settled. I just need to do grocery shopping and stuff, still.**

Jaune - **I sent you an email with a list of restaurants and street vendors that I've heard of and are up to snuff.**

Ari - **lol, of course you did, Jaune. Thank you.**

Kenny - **Yo, some of us are trying to get sleep. **

Jaune - **Then turn notifications off on your phone, idiot.**

As Ari walked she smiled at her friends. _I miss them already. New people are hard_, Ari thought, ignoring the fact that she had made eight new friends the night before and now had connections within this new city. Her phone _pinged_ twice.

Fiona - **Ari! I miss you my love. Catriona and I are working on a care package for you. She's gathered some really good stuff. She's so good at this.**

_Fiona is such a gusher. I'm glad those two finally got together: Cat fills all her overly romantic ideals so well_. Ari clicked out a, **Thank you!**, before scrolling over to the second message. It was from an unknown number.

**It was so nice to see you last night! I know everything is so new here, but it's good that you are getting along so easily with new people!**

_I could've sworn that I saved everyone's phone numbers from last night. I wasn't drunk enough to brown out. And this is in English. Who did I meet last night that spoke English?_ Confused, Ari shrugged off the oddity of the message and typed out a polite, **Thank you! It was nice to meet you, too!**, assuming it was someone in Kayda's friend group. _I'll have to ask Kayda whose number that is next time I see her_.

Ari unlocked the door to her flat and dressed for a jog, planning to get lost in the side streets around the area for the next hour or so before finding a grocery store to do some light shopping for the week. She tucked her hair up into a bouncy bun on top of her head and set out.

The next two hours were filled with music pumping from her earbuds, mild confusion at trying to remember landmarks and street names, and the kind of exhaustion that left Ari thrilled and ready for the next week. She spotted a grocery store on the last leg towards home and stopped.

Ari collected some standard recipe ingredients like veggies and broth and noodles and eggs. She got lost in the packaged food section, though, and ended up buying way too many boxes with adorable characters and designs on the front. _It all looks so yummy! I just want to try it all!_ she internally squealed as she pranced home.

Late that night, Ari woke up from her sleep and flip-flopped for a bit before deciding to just do another late night flight and pop by the bar street she'd been at the last two nights. _I also want to check out the financial district with all the bright skyscraper lights_. Ari pulled on some baggy black sweatpants over her bare legs and swapped her sleep shirt out for a sports bra and long sleeve wrap top.

The night air was cool and breezy as Ari took off from her balcony towards the heart of the downtown area. She took in some of the neighborhoods she hadn't visited yet that were still near her and then turned to head towards the Yonemura street stall.

Emergency response lights filled Ari's peripheral as she approached. Realizing it was from the street corner she was heading towards, Ari sped up. Looking down at the scene, there was a police car taking a report, and at least one hero there with Chiaki and Yonemura. Ari gasped.

Business at the bars had nearly completely cleared out to fill the space around them and ask what was going on. Ari landed heavily at the edge of the crowd and pushed her way through, keeping an eye on Kayda's tall form and bright blue locks so she didn't lose her way in the crowd.

"Kayda! What happened? Is everyone alright?" Ari caught the panic in her tone and remembered to breathe: _this isn't the car accident Ari, you already saw that everyone here looks stable. Get all the details first._

"Mom and Dad were threatened by some crazy blonde woman that just showed up out of nowhere. She wouldn't tell them what she wanted. She didn't take any money. She just held a knife to Dad's throat and started ranting," smoke from her quirk was pouring from Kayda's nostrils as she shared the story.

"What can I do to help?" Ari asked, keeping her distance from Kayda's tense and glowering form.

Shou wrapped an arm around Ari's waist and pulled her back towards him, causing Ari to flinch. He quietly spoke to her, "There's nothing you can do. Leave this to us. Everyone will be fine."

Kayda glared at him, causing him to release Ari, then held Ari's gaze. "They'd be idiots to come back here, now. We'll take care of things. You fly on home and go to sleep." _There's no way I can tell her that the crazy bitch demanded to see _her. _Where is Eraserhead when you actually could use him? He could have captured the bitch and left me to the rest of it so easily._

Seeing the sparks in Kayda's orange irises, Ari nodded and said, "Okay. Please text me if there is anything I can do or… you know, whatever. Night," she didn't fight for the right to stay, since these people were still so new to her, but she was concerned.

Kayda relaxed for a moment and slipped her hand around Ari's wrist, pulling the two of them together. She wanted to place a kiss on Ari's forehead but couldn't quite reach because of how tall Ari was, so she settled for another parting kiss on the cheek. "Stay safe," she fervently whispered in Ari's ear. "I can't leave them, or I'd walk you home."

"I'll be fine," Ari blasely responded. "You take care of your parents."

When she reached her home, Ari locked the door, shut the curtains and tossed and turned in her bed for the rest of the night. _And orientation and paperwork signing is tomorrow. Perfect._


	3. The Eraserhead Tryst: Meet the Cast

The morning of the 23rd, Ari woke up before dawn, completed her morning run and did her centering yoga routine. She was nervous for the day ahead. When she thought of how the day could go, it seemed to stretch out for miles. There was so much that needed to be done: she had to complete her paperwork, get her personalized instructor assignment, meet that instructor, make a good impression, and then - potentially - meet all the other trainees and instructors, as well. And all of this while maintaining a facade of calm and surety.

A few times that morning, the wind around her had become unnaturally breezy. When Ari caught this, she practiced her breathing for an extra few minutes, and it would slowly come back to stillness.

Once she was showered and dressed in jeans and a baggy tee, she called a taxi to pick her up and take her to the UA campus. Her training bag sat on the corner of her bed: hero costume hanging out of the zipper-mouth and gym clothes neatly folded and stashed into the corner of the ruck sack. She tugged on her combat boots and slipped out the door when the taxi arrived. "UA High, please," she said, putting her headphones on and closing her eyes.

When the taxi pulled up to UA High it stopped abruptly. Ari lurched forward slightly, jolted from her daze. She collected her training bag and walked up to the security gate. Principal Nezu was there to greet her with Vlad King, and Ari smiled at the two of them. "Thank you for greeting me! I am honored to be here and hope that I can learn everything UA has to offer!"

"It is nice to meet you, Rose Arashi. We are excited to see what you have to offer the world of heroes," Nezu responded.

Ari could feel herself getting those goosebumps that come from being nervous and excited at the same time. Vlad King passed her a visitor's badge. "Clip this onto your person, you will need it until we tell you later today that your access to campus has been fully granted."

"Thank you," Ari nodded, taking the badge and clipping it to the hem of her baggy t-shirt. She followed Vlad King, Principal Nezu staying behind. _Probably to greet another trainee_, Ari assumed. As she walked into the courtyard, she passed Eraserhead, looking sleepy, and Midnight, who greeted her with a flirtatious wave.

_Shit, there are so many amazing heroes here. And they've all proven themselves over and over again_, she thought, thinking of the UA media coverage from the last five years_._ Vlad King walked her into the main building and to a classroom with a table placed in the middle of it, instead of desks. "Find your seat around this table. You won't have a locker out front until we get your access card set up."

Ari slowly walked around the table, reading over the names on the folders laid out at each seat. "Okada Akiko… Saito Suru… Fujita Muroki…." Ari slowly walked around the table and intoned the names. She wasn't sure if she was just going to sit here and wait for them, or if she was just supposed to go over the paperwork in her folder. She snatched up her folder from the table and took it back out to the open air plaza benches. When she settled in on the bench, she leaned back into the morning sunshine, warming herself.

Eraserhead watched her out of the corner of his eye. _She's already disregarding what Vlad told her about sitting at the table. This one I'll have to keep an eye on._

Ari looked up when she felt his eyes on her. Smiling, she waved to him and got up to introduce herself, _He is even cuter in person. No flirting with the instructors, Ari. You're here to focus damnit._

He stoically stared her down as she approached. "Hi, I'm Ari," she sang extending her hand.

"American. Correct, Miss Rose?"

Taken aback by his icy reception, Ari paused and blinked before responding, "Yes, I am. And you must be Erasherhead; I've read a lot about you in my preparation for coming here."

"Miss Rose, I'm sure you were asked to stay in the classroom and wait for the others."

"Oh," Ari raised an eyebrow, surprised that it was such a big deal and snarkily said, "I just like the open air, but, _of course_. Please, excuse me."

She drew her folder to her with her quirk and strutted back inside the building, a little chagrined by his cool response, but not wanting him to see her embarrassment.

Eraserhead watched her hips sway away from him and sensed her frustration with his lack of receptiveness.

Not long after, Ari's first classmate arrived. She looked like a wound coil, ready to spring at any moment. With thick curly brown hair and bright wide eyes. Ari liked it. "Hi! I'm Ari," she ventured, hoping that her second attempt to make a new acquaintance would land.

"Okada Akiko," the girl responded, not quite smiling back at Ari.

"Where are you from?"

"Germany," she quietly said, not looking up from pouring over her file folder.

Taking the hint, Ari stopped trying to converse and continued flipping through the paperwork in front of her.

By the time the next trainee stepped into the room, led by Eraserhead, Ari had completely read through the documentation, and was exceedingly bored. Already finished counting the dots on the ceiling, she stood up to greet the young man, stepping around the table. "Hi! I'm Ari!" she said, extending her hand.

"Saito," he said, looking Ari up and down - Ari knew that look. She shifted her weight to pop her hip out to the side, ready to flirt back when Midnight and the last trainee, Fujita Miroki, turned the corner, right into Saito's back. "Hey!" Fujita exclaimed, face full of tshirt. "Get outta the doorway, Behemoth!"

Ari giggled and looked at the new character. Midnight squeezed past Saito and stood at the front of the classroom. "Please take your seats you fresh-faced graduate heros! Ugh, I just love the fervor of youth!" she finished as the three standing students quickly sat down.

"We're starting out with signing off on the last bit of paperwork and receiving your personalized instructor assignments. Miss Fujita, I'm so glad I got to walk you into the class today, because I'll be your instructor!

"I'm so excited to work with your insanely obtrusive X-Ray Vision quirk! I have so many questions about the limits you've reached and what you've seen!" As Midnight waggled her eyebrows, Fujita shrunk down into her chair a little.

"Thank you, Midnight. You are one of my favorite pro-heroes, so this is an honor," she responded, blushing but smiling broadly.

"Mine, too," Saito trailed after Fujita. Ari quirked an eyebrow towards him, but only continued to observe.

A few more instructors filed into the room: Eraserhead, 13, and Vlad King looked serious and ready to work. Eraserhead had another stack of papers tucked under one arm. _What else could they possibly need to give us? What a waste of trees_, Ari thought. _Oh wait, those are probably their info sheets on us_.

Midnight continued, "Sorry folx, I didn't quite finish yet. Saito you're with Vlad King; Okada, Eraserhead; Rose, 13. Alright, do your thing, Eraserhead."

Ari was surprised that she was the only one of the trainees paired with a rescue hero. Having already been nervous about making the wrong selection on her application, Ari now felt singled out. _Great, I'm the only one who looks like I'm copping out of battle scenarios and training, now, huh? I wonder if they'll separate me out and I won't even be training them with everyone else. Shit. Whatever._

Her thoughts were interrupted by the start of Eraserhead's monologue. "There are two pieces of paper in your packet that we need signed before you leave this room. One is a letter of intent to practice hero work under the UA High name while you are in this region; which gives you the right to use your quirk in incident resolution off-campus," he'd been holding eye contact with Ari as he spoke, pausing for a moment as he looked away from her. "The other is a consent form, mitigating any responsibility you hold against UA in case of injury during your time here."

Ari smiled, a little confused about why he would pointedly look to her. _He looked at me like he knows that I used my quirk to get those creeps away from those women the other day._ Ari pursed her lips with the possibility and refocused her attention.

Having read the documents and assuming they would require signing, she had them at the top of her file. She flicked the papers up and on top of her folder, unable to keep her quirk from making them float just a little longer than they should have. Her nerves were getting to her.

Signing, she placed her hands down onto the papers, keeping her quirk from making them float anymore. Aizawa looked at the young lady, noticing the way that her lack of composure was making her quirk activate. He watched her take an almost imperceptible breath in through her nose, then release it, and immediately the papers she had pressed down under her hands stilled. He continued, "Once you've done that, we'll be going over rules and regulations of our campus and the local area. Some of you may just be visitors to Japan, but you will have no excuse for not knowing."

As he finished, he made eye contact with Ari, pointedly, again. _Fuck, am I the only non-native here, too? Jesus Christ, I must look so lame_. Ari rolled her eyes without thinking. At the same time, Aizawa raised his eyebrows in response to her obviously rebellious nature.

The group went over procedures, laws and regulations, and training locations before breaking off for lunch in the UA Cafeteria. The four trainees piled out of the classroom breathing what felt like fresh air for the first time in hours. "Wow, Eraserhead can really _chat_, huh?" Fujita joked. "I forgot about that. I'm glad he wasn't our homeroom teacher, eh, Suru?"

Saito sarcastically responded, "Thank God! That would have just been too much."

Ari just fell in step with the two UA alumni, and could tell that Okada was doing the same. "I'm Ari, by the way. I don't prefer to be called anything else."

"Well, wait then, is that your hero name, too?"

"Oh," Ari laughed, "No. My hero name is Avant."

"Hmm, okay," Fujita responded, one finger on her chin. "Well I'm Fujita Miroki, but you can call me Miroki or Miro for short."

"Awesome! And you?" she turned to Okada, ignoring Saito's obvious desire for interaction.

"Me? Um, Okada is fine, I guess, but you can also call me Akiko."

"Perfect! Kiko it is!" Ari trilled, not hearing the first syllable.

"Wait -"

"My name is Saito Suru!" Saito interjected. "But please," he said, extending a hand to Ari, "call me Suru."

"A boy named Su," Ari mused, making Kiko laugh.

"What?" Suru asked as the cafeteria came into view.

"Oh nothing! Just figuring out how to remember your name, is all!" Ari cheerily turned to face him and danced backwards into the cafeteria.

Kiko continued laughing and followed Miroki into the cafeteria after Ari. Suru stood at the doorway, slightly confused.

Ari was so thrilled to be able to get out of that classroom. She took long, loping steps. It felt so good to stretch her legs and move around. It'd probably been 3 whole hours since Aizawa Shota, aka, Eraserhead had shamed her back into the classroom. _He is one stern character. I'm gonna make him smile by the end of this summer_, Ari smirked to herself_. _

The instructors didn't trickle in until after the trainees had picked up their lunches, but Eraserhead wasn't among them. Ari visibly looked disappointed; she'd been hoping to tease and flirt with him and try to crack his shell a little. As they sat down with their students, Akiko ventured to ask Midnight, "Where is Eraserhead?"

"Oh, Shota?" she replied. "He's sleeping. He'll be fine. He only runs on coffee anyways," Midnight waved off her questioning look.

"Is he really a good instructor, then?" Ari followed up, facetiously, at first. "I mean, obviously, we're here to learn from our respective instructors, and I am very grateful that 13 is here to chat with me, but, Kiko, please feel free to usurp me and ask my instructor anything you would ask your absent Eraserhead."

_What a dick_, Ari thought, letting her words rile her up and feeling a little bitter about her interactions with him earlier. She smugly tucked into her lunch, savoring the delicious flavors of Lunch Rush's cooking.

She completely ignored the awkward tension around her, aware that she shouldn't have said that sort of thing about a teacher. _At least not on the first day_, she thought, sassily. Then Miroki spoke up and began peppering Midnight with her own questions about the plans for the training camp. They ate in relative convivial conversation for another hour or so, until Vlad looked at his watch and caught the time. "We should clean up and head back to the classroom to discuss the camp schedule prior to your evening training assessment."

"Just in time, too," Ari mumbled as she stood. She caught Aizawa lurking in the windows of the cafeteria, about to turn the corner to collect the group.

She smirked and turned on her heel, making eye contact before flicking her shoulder-length hair over her shoulder. Her dishes clanged as she plopped them into the return bin.

Ari began making her way back to class, lightly brushing past Aizawa in the doorway of the lunch room. She could feel his gaze follow her out the door and huffed to herself. Miroki chased after Ari, bouncing up beside her and asking, "So what are you going to do tonight?"

Ari turned as she walked and shrugged. "I don't know! Ummm, karaoke!"

"I'm only doing it if we go to a private room one," Kiko piped up, just behind the two ladies.

"Oh, of course!" Ari said, "We can't bond if we have to deal with drunk randos."

"Agreed," Miroki tossed in. "Suru! Are you coming?"

Suru loped up behind Ari, getting just close enough to reach out and touch Ari's elbow. Ari leaned back into him, throwing him slightly off balance and making him stutter his response. "I-I'm in if Ari is going."

"Of course I'm going, lunk. I just said that." She paused a beat, "So you're going?" Ari turned to look him in the eyes. "But, trust me, you don't want to do this with me, _Suru_," she finished, using his first name like Miroki had.

"What don't I want to do?" he challenged.

"Flirt with me. Sleep with me. Whatever end game you're thinking up in your head. It won't turn out that way, I promise," Ari retorted.

"I don't know what you mean, Ari," he smugly smiled back. "I just want to get to know the other trainees in my group."

"Alrighty then!" Ari linked arms with Kiko and Miro and strode down the hall, Suru easily keeping stride with his long legs.

The post-lunch lecture was a good bit shorter. It really only had them going over the planned training schedule and introducing themselves and their quirks to the class. And it ended with a written test on training strategies, hero agencies, and some general questions about their quirks.

"Tomorrow," Eraserhead started to wrap up the day, "we'll get you all to do some physical quirk assessment tasks and take you on a full tour of the campus."

"We are sorry that we couldn't house you in our dorm system for this summer training, but we wanted you both to experience the cultural aspects of our city, as well as, get your training here on campus." Principal Nezu's voice piped in from his spot in the doorway. "Hopefully you are finding your accommodations suitable?"

Ari looked around the table for the second person, knowing already that it must be Kiko, _Since Suru and Miro attended UA, they must still be in their dorm rooms._ Ari quickly nodded, so Nezu didn't think she'd ignored his question.

"Should you need anything else," he continued, "your instructor's phone numbers are on the emergency contacts page in your folder of paperwork, there. We will see you all tomorrow!"

The students filed out of the building: Suru and Miro to their rooms back in the dorms and Kiko and Ari out the front gate. The pair walked in a peaceful silence for a while before Ari's random questioning began. "So are you staying in the same apartment complex as me?"

Akiko glanced at Ari, "What apartment complex is that?"

Ari gave her address and Kiko nodded. "Oh! Cool! We'll get to hang out a good bit then, probably!"

"Sure," Akiko deadpanned.

Ari hummed absentmindedly, thinking up a questions to ask her. "What's your favorite season?"

Kiko blinked and just said, "Ummm, oh - summer."

"Ooh! Mine is Fall: for sure Fall. Actually though, I don't know. I guess it depends on the place.

"Next question: Favorite color?"

Kiko didn't take any time to respond at all, "Purple."

Ari nodded, "Green. Favorite Food?"

Kiko blushes. "I know it sounds gross to most people, but… liverwurst meatballs. On a pile of mashed potatoes with sauerkraut, it's one of the best things in the world."

While Ari took a moment to think of the next question, neglecting to give Akiko an answer, herself, Akiko cut in.

"You know, no matter how much you already don't like Eraserhead, you should respect that he has something to teach you in this training camp," Kiko boldly began.

"Yea, you're right. What I said at lunch today was me letting my emotions get the better of me. I get mad quick, if I'm going to get mad, but then it goes away and I've already said something stupid."

"I'm actually very excited to learn from someone that has been able to apprehend so many villains without half as much media attention as the big names. Although, I do recognize the importance of the media in a successful hero career," Kiko continued.

Ari nodded, "To be honest, I don't like the media. It's one reason I made sure to study up on Eraserhead before I came. He's had a lot of things, more recently, pull him into the limelight against his will and still handled it well. He's just very stern and aloof.

"I need to practice that more, I guess."

"Or you could just keep insulting experienced, well-meaning pro heroes?"

Ari couldn't help but laugh, "You're right! Feuds are great ways to draw media without actually having to be a part of it! Just look at Mt. Lady and Midnight from a few years ago. That one went international for a hot minute."

"Well, this one is me," Kiko hung back at her door. "What time were we meeting up for karaoke?"

"I think about seven for dinner, if you were going to join. And then karaoke is at eight or nine; whenever we finish dinner.

"And my apartment is two buildings over on the second floor. If you need anything, you know where to find me," Ari smiled broadly. "I'm so excited to work with everyone this summer!" Ari threw a peace sign against her chin and winked at Kiko.

Kiko giggled and stepped into her apartment, leaving Ari to walk around the next two corners and get ready.

At seven Ari was knocking on Kiko's door to see if she would be joining the dinner. "Hey!" Kiko said, cracking the door with one hand and grabbing her purse with the other.

"Hey! I'm so glad you're coming out. You're so super cute, maybe we'll get some free drinks!" Ari teased, loving that she could make Akiko blush so easily, already.

"You know, we're still underage, here. We shouldn't be drinking at all," Akiko responded.

"I know that. It's not like we would get caught or do anything stupid, though. I've been drinking since I was 13. It's _so _not a big deal."

Akiko took in Ari's response, but did not answer. The pair strolled into town to a local ramen shop, where Suru and Miro were already waiting. "Hey!" Miro politely called them over to the table.

Once everyone was seated around the table and gave the server their orders, Miro addressed Akiko and Ari. "So, why Japan? Why UA?"

Ari looked to Kiko to see if she would begin the conversation. When all she did was blink, Ari responded, "I've always wanted to visit. Japan is home to some really amazing heroes, and some of my favorites. There is such history here. And such a diversity of training opportunities."

Kiko nodded along with Ari's response, but added, "I was actually born here, so I wanted to come back."

"Oh really?!" Miro excitedly took up the line of conversation, "So where are you from, now?"

"Germany."

"Do you enjoy it there?" Ari asked.

Kiko shrugged and calmly responded, "It's home."

Suru turned towards Ari as she sipped on her water. "Where are you from Ari? I think we can all tell you're American, but where from in the States?"

"That's assumptive, Suru, especially because I'm Canadian," Ari sat smugly back in her seat, smirking.

"That's a lie," Miro piped up. "I've already looked you up. You're from San Francisco in California."

Ari's smirk never faltered, but she raised a brow at Miro's fervor. "Well, that's true, I guess, but I prefer to say I'm from the Bay Area. There's too much diversity in the cities around there, and I sure as hell didn't limit myself to the mundane yet cosmopolitan _San Fran_. Too many villain attacks in tourist centers, too, man. It's better to stay away."

"Oh yea?" Suru asked, "So what city would you say you're from in the _Bay Area_?"

Ari giggled at his exaggeration, but gave his question a genuine moment of thought. "I've spent a lot of my time in Oakland and Alameda. I can't lie and say I didn't live in San Francisco for school and stuff, though. My apartment is in an old warehouse on the bay in Oakland, though." Her rambling thoughts trailed off for a moment.

"So Oakland?" Akiko cut in.

"Sure!" Ari sang. "How far did you two come to go to school at UA?" Ari addressed Suru and Miro.

"Not far," Suru responded for the two of them. "Miro is from the city, and my family lives in a small town about an hour's train ride from here."

Miro bobbed her head in agreement and asked the next question, "So what's your favorite country, then? Besides Japan, obviously. Where do you most want to visit?" Miro focused her attention on Kiko once more.

Kiko thoughtfully tilted her head to the side and stared off for a moment, "I think I would most like to visit Finland. There's just such a rich history and culture there. And good hiking."

"Ooh! I love hiking," Ari couldn't help but cut in. "And I've met some great Finn," her eyes glazed over, remembering Joel and Timo.

"Yea?" Suru perked up.

"What about you Ari?" Miro asked.

"I'd love to travel to Cambodia next, I think. What about you two?"

"Well _I_," Miro exaggerated started, not wanting Suru to cut in again, "I would love to visit America at some point, but I don't know what cities."

"I'd visit you in the Bay, Ari," Suru pined.

"That doesn't count at all. Answer the question for real, weirdo," Ari stuck her tongue out at him.

"Fine. Norway would be pretty cool. But legitimately, my favorite hero is American and from San Francisco, I think. It'd be cool to meet him."

"Oh? Which one?" Ari asked, curious if she'd know him.

"Bridger. Limbs like the steel that make up the bridges that connect the bay cities together," Suru repeated the hero's slogan. "And I like that American heroes' names tend to be so simple."

"Hm," Ari thought for a moment. "I don't think I've met him before, but I've definitely heard of him. That's interesting, Suru. Noted." Ari made a mental note to look up the hero when she had a spare moment sometime soon and see if she could get more details about his career. She loved researching.

"My favorite is Midnight!" Miro chimed in.

"Who doesn't love Midnight, though? That's her gimmick," Suru scoffed.

"She's just amazing! And so beautiful," Miro's eyes glazed over, daydreaming about Midnight.

"I totally agree, Miro," Ari said. "Midnight is an amazing hero. And very adept at capture; which is important."

"She's interesting, I guess," Kiko added.

"Who's your favorite hero, Kiko?" Ari asked.

"Akida," Kiko corrected, quiet enough that Ari didn't actually hear. She followed up with her response, "Kamui Woods."

"He's a good one! Everyone loves him, and he's so mysterious with no real origin story," Miro trilled, like they were looking over trading cards. "What about you Ari?"

"I really like the Big Three trio that came out of UA a good few years ago, now, and basically the whole class that graduated a couple of years later were uber-talented. I think it's really cool when they get to team up; because they work so well together. I'd love to hear their stories of growing up together and training together and all of that."

"They were pretty cool from what I hear," Suru added. "They would be pretty cool to meet. They're such big names, now."

"UA alumni are so busy, though. I wish they'd host training camps or sessions every now and then, as the professors can schedule them. It's good to learn from a variety of quirk-types and fighting-styles, in my opinion," Miro chatted.

"I completely agree," Kiko said. "If we can't learn from a variety of people, we'll never be able to adapt to the variety we'll see in the field."

"That's true. Hero work is never consistent," Ari added. "That's one of the things I like about it so much. There is so much possibility to learn and grow with each interaction. Well that's true of every interaction, all the time, but hero work, especially."

After this round of chatter, the server returned to the table with 4 steaming bowls of broth, passing them out to the table.

The ramen was delicious. With the first slurp, a contented hush fell over the group as they ate their food. Ari tucked in fully, ignoring the crowd around her and the new place and daydreamed that she was back in her favorite ramen shop in Oakland with Fran, her cousin. After she slurped up another bite of noodles, she pulled out her phone to send him a quick text.

**Miss you. **

He responded quickly, **Stop being a baby. You've been gone less than a week. **

And then, **Miss you, too, Ari. Stay safe. Call me to check in when you get the chance. Love you.**

Miro nosily leaned over, cheeks full of noodles and veggies. "Who ya texting? _Fran_?" she read from over Ari's shoulder. "And who would that be?"

Ari flipped her hair over her shoulder and teased Miro, "Don't be jealous. It's my cousin. We were raised as siblings after my parents died. I was just telling him _Hey_."

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that," Miro retracted, immediately sorry she pushed. "How long ago was that, if I can ask?"

Akiko looked like she was choking on her broth, and sputtered out, "Miro, seriously?!"

Suru looked just as embarrassed, but Ari laughed, "It's really alright. They died when I was born. I never even knew them."

"Your birthday must suck," Suru muttered, thinking aloud.

"Jesus Christ!" Akiko sputtered again, surprised and overwhelmed by their lack of tact. Feeling for Ari's emotions, though, Kiko couldn't make out anything but calm.

Ari leaned over with Miro's next big bite and kissed her on her full, puffed out cheeks. "You are so adorable!" she laughed.

Miro blushed, but it did the trick and broke the awkward tension the other three had been feeling after the accidental line of conversation. Suru leaned across the table, giving his cheek to Ari and said with a full mouth, "My cheeks are full, too."

Ari scoffed, but Kiko cut her off before she could respond, "In your dreams, Suru."

Ari looked to the petite but spunky figure across from her with wide eyes. "Well said, Kiko," she facetiously clapped her hands towards her.

After getting the checks and paying their tabs, the small group made their way over to the bar street Ari knew of to look for a karaoke bar.

Ari had texted Kayda to check in and to ask about karaoke spots, but was nervous to see her again after last night. She was so angry, and so ready to fight. And she hadn't responded to Ari's texts early that morning.

As they moved through the throngs of people on the street corner, Ari sneakily lead them towards the korokke stall. The wild blue hair and flaming orange eyes caught Ari's attention, but it was Chiaki, not Kayda. They were so busy that Ari didn't want to interrupt their flow, but she gave a small wave to the couple. Chiaki saw the wave and dropped what he was doing to rush over to her. "What are you doing here, little one?"

_Little one? _Ari thought, _I'm nearly 6 inches taller than him. I should be calling him that._

She responded, instead with, "My friends and I from school are looking for a karaoke bar."

Chiaki checked his surroundings, nervously. "There is only one on this street, but Ari, you should be home resting for your classes and training, right?"

"Oh! We'll be fine, Mr. Chiaki. I appreciate the concern. I'm more concerned about you and your wife, though. How are you two after last night? You're so strong. I wouldn't have been able to open my food stall, if it was me."

Sighing at his confirmed suspicions Chiaki thought, _Kayda didn't tell her why what happened, happened. Foolish, but that was the crazy bitch's instructions_. _And here Ari is, without Kayda here to dissuade her; without any real clue how serious this could be_.

"Let me walk you over and introduce you to the owner," Chiaki offered.

"Oh I couldn't pull you away from your stand, Mr. Chiaki."

The group followed Ari and the blue-haired man, wondering over the details of their conversation. "I would rather walk you myself, Ari. Yonemura can handle the stand for a little bit. And Kayda will be back to help her soon."

"Will she?" Ari asked. "I wanted to say _Hey_ to her, too…" Ari trailed off.

"Oh," Chiaki realized his mistake. Kayda had told her parents that Ari was not to come near the stall again, for their safety and hers. She hadn't shared that the crazy American bitch from the night before had specifically told Kayda to keep her hands off Ari and never to speak to her again.

He walked Ari and her friends to the karaoke bar and introduced them to the owner, who gave them a free hour in one of his smaller rooms after Chiaki told him who exactly Ari was. "We'll take care of her, Chiaki. Don't you worry," the edge of seriousness and tension catching Kiko's attention, but lost on the rest of the group.

Chiaki picked up Ari's hand to say his goodbyes and squeezed it between his own. "You are a sweet girl, Ari. Don't you worry about Kayda or about us. We will be just fine. And honestly, Kayda is not the type to be able to have friends like you for very long," he attempted, trying to dissuade Ari from wanting to speak with his daughter again. He didn't want Kayda hurting Ari emotionally, or the crazy bitch to seek any of them out again because of the young ladies' relationship.

Ari shook off the odd feeling of sadness and understanding she felt in favor of having a good time with this new group of people and began flicking through the book of music selections.

Ari flopped back down onto the couch after belting out the last note of Linkin Park's "Numb." Breathless, she laughed out, "Oh my god. That was so much fun! Kiko, you're next."

Kiko looked up from the song list she was perusing, panicked. "I haven't decided yet. I'm not ready to go!"

"Then drink up!" Miro exclaimed. "You need to be ready to go when I'm done with… this one!"

The opening notes to Britney Spears' "Toxic" blasted from the tv speakers. Without even considering everyone in the room, Miroki closed her eyes and began singing along, swaying her hips and spinning around the room to the pop beat.

Suru ordered the girls a pot of yogurt sake and the young adults went back and forth between taking shots and singing songs. "ONE LAST SONG!" Ari shouted, after the proprietor came in to tell them they'd be closing soon.

"What do we do?" Miro asked.

Suru had slyly kept from participating in singing most of the night by sitting in the corner and munching on the large snack tray he'd ordered. Akiko rose and flicked through the song book, queueing up the song she chose without asking or letting either of the other two girls know.

When the opening notes of ABBA's _Dancing Queen_ began, Ari squealed and shouted, "Positions ladies!" and the three young women turned their back to one another in a dramatic opening pose. Suru whooped and clapped for their improvised routine the whole way through. The song finished and Suru laughed, standing and gathering the girls' bags from the couches.

"Come on ladies, we should get everyone home. We do actually have to be on campus bright and early tomorrow."

Ari fiddled with the straps of her miniature backpack, until Kiko came over and held it for her, so that she could thread her arms through them and shrug it on. "Thank you!" Ari sang.

When they got outside, the wind whipped up around Ari and the other three classmates looked concerned for a moment. She leaned against a wall, letting the wind wash over her, then letting it pick her up. She began floating away until Suru clasped her ankle and pulled her back down to him. "HEY!" Ari exclaimed.

"You can't go floating off by yourself, Rose. You don't know the city yet. Do you need to sober up some?"

Kiko looked to the pair and pulled a bottle of water from her bag, passing it to Ari. "Drink some. Splash a little on your face. Get it together. We're representing UA once we're out here."

Miro, who had been cackling at Ari's drunkenness a moment sooner, straightened and nodded, "Plus Ultra!" she chanted, not able to hold back the giggle that followed.

Kiko swiveled to level her gaze at her, but didn't respond. _She's not nearly as big a deal as Ari's quirk going off in the middle of a city street_. She debated using her quirk to calm Ari so that she didn't feel the need to use her quirk, but Ari's emotions were a swirl of anxiety, frustration and curiosity, and she worried that if she chose the wrong one to project onto Ari, that she would cause more trouble.

"Sorry, I have to sober up so that I can take control of my quirk back. It's not something that I activate or don't. My quirk is activated just as reflexively as my breath. Let's stop and grab a coffee or something, and I'll sober up enough to walk home."

They turned the corner to find a late night cafe and entered, taking in the buzz of the neon. Suru, arms still wrapped around Ari's form, led the group to a table on the far wall and sat Ari down, gently. "Stay here, alright? I'm going to get food and coffee."

He came back from the bar carrying two trays of coffees and snacks and began making everyone eat the food. "Two bites, for everyone, at least. It will help absorb the alcohol."

Whatever it was was spicy and a drunken Ari tucked into the plate in front of her with gusto. "So, Ari, your quirk is innate? Just how innate?"

"Well, once it started when I was 3, it only ever stopped when I control it enough to stop it or when I've passed out. There were quite a few years when the Bay Area had freak wind storms, but luckily, for the most part, my hometown is so windy that people don't notice what is me and what is natural," Ari looked to the room, getting lost in her surroundings while she sipped on the black coffee.

The group quieted as they sobered up enough to walk home, and once Suru and Miro left Ari alone in her bedroom, Ari stripped and threw herself into her plush bed. She savored every moment of the soft sheets and fluffy blankets as she shifted them to lie on top of her. She was asleep in less than five minutes after laying down.


	4. The Eraserhead Tryst: The Burglary

The bus turned the corner into the parking lot of the Unforeseen Simulation Joint, or U.S.J., dust billowing from under the tires. It was a long drive out to the campus for training, but Arashi knew how worth it it would be to practice in a setting like this one.

Today was the first day of the 7 week intensive with heroes from Japan's UA High School and rescue heroes 13 and the Wild Wild Pussycats. Ari had arrived in Japan a week earlier and settled into her short term apartment rental, nicely. She had only just turned 19, and this special summer camp was her first test of how her high school training would serve her in a global way.

She felt refreshed after the last week of prep. Ari didn't want to limit herself to being a battle hero in her city back home. She wanted to be good enough to travel; to help people all over the world. When Uncle Patrick came home from a hero trainers conference here at the end of Spring and told Ari about the camp, she knew she had to apply.

The camp would also serve as a way of deciding if her gap year between high school and college would be a gap year, or if she would actually just begin her herowork, instead.

She had trained with her uncle since she was 14: Patrick had opened and built a gym specifically for her to train with battle heroes when he found out that she wanted to be a pro.

"_I love you, Ari, and I want to know that you're training at school is supplemented by only the best of the best. If this is what I can do to keep you safe, then I'm happy to do it." _Ari thought back to their first day in the warehouse that grew to be her second home.

When the bus pulled up to the oversized football-stadium-like building, Ari had been surprised at the sheer size of it all. "Wow," she quietly mouthed as the bus hissed and settled into its parking space. On the bus with her were 3 other summer trainees - Miroki, Akiko, and Suru - and their instructors: 13, Eraserhead, Midnight, and Vlad King.

Ari was sitting alone in the back, trying to control her nausea from the long drive. She tried to nap most of the way, but hadn't been able to. Surly, she tried to control the way that she responded when Miroki cheerfully called back to her, "Ari! We're here! Oh, I'm so excited."

Miroki dove into a conversation with 13 and Vlad King about what kind of exercises she would get to do for their first day in the facility. "We wouldn't want to start with anything too exhausting. Think of today as more of an orientation to the space."

"Why didn't we just stay out near this campus, if this is where we are to be training for most of the summer?" Suru asked, his large form crammed into the small bus seats.

Eraserhead perked up. "Because, Suru, you'll actually be focusing most of your night training on reconnaissance in the city. It's only logical to have your lodgings nearer where your later nights will be."

"Oh, I forgot about that, will we be doing that tonight?" Akiko asked, seemingly nervous.

"No, we will be focusing on introducing you to the USJ for today. We won't begin night training until next week.

Ari had tromped off the bus already, only partially listening to what was being said. The moment she stepped off the bottom stair, she stretched and twisted and attempted to reset, shaking off the frustration of feeling ill. She waited for the rest of the group to disembark, listening to the soft thud of their shoes and swish of their costumes.

The group walked into the gargantuan center. At the entrance to the training zones there was a tall staircase descending into a central plaza. Ari stood back at the top of the steps while the rest of the group began descending. Eraserhead held back with her. Ari couldn't help but look over to him, scanning his face for any of the emotional weight she imagined, looking down into the disaster scenarios below them. His face was as flat and emotionless as a glass of water.

Stunned slightly, she was reminded of the incident that happened with Eraserhead here almost eight or so years before. "Wow," Ari couldn't help herself.

"It can be daunting, Miss Rose," Eraserhead responded.

"I've seen things like this plenty. I was just thinking about the incident with the League of Villains that happened here. Is it hard to come back to a place where you had such a hard battle?"

Swallowing his pride and emotions, Aizawa slowly metered his breathing.

"Sorry," she stuttered out, "I realize now that came out as quite a personal question. I meant it purely out of a place-"

"Yes, it is. But it was a long time ago, and no one died or was critically injured that was under my care. Those are the locations that are hard to return to. But you can't avoid it. Eventually, someone will die that you couldn't save."

The weight of what he was saying settled around Ari as she stared out into the USJ facility, her imagination running wild with instances she wouldn't be able to control. She nodded in understanding and softly intoned, "Thank you."

Aizawa turned his head to look at her and unconsciously raised his eyebrows. _She understands that? Without me having to explain further? There is more to her than meets the eye._

Eraserhead had been watching her training session with 13 while Okada took a short rest and went over the scenarios they'd done so far. He'd popped into the other trainees sessions throughout the day, as well. At the end of the week, the supervising heroes were to get together and decide what sort of customized training each young adult should receive.

Perched at the top of the USJ rockslide zone, he catalogued Arashi's weaknesses and pondered over how to help her correct them. She was graceful in her movements: she'd obviously studied a few forms of martial artistry over the years to supplement her skills. She used a variation of tai chi to help direct her quirk when she maneuvered rocks and obstacles away from stranded civilians. _A lot like Todoroki uses for ranged combat_, Aizawa thought to himself. She was clever.

But her pacing was off. She'd respond too rashly when the situation deemed for careful thought and she'd overthink things that could be solved and completed without a care. He noticed her seriousness and her lack of assertiveness in the first half of the day when the party had toured the space and gotten acquainted with one another.

She looked bedraggled as she trudged back up to the plaza for a break. Eraserhead swung down to the edge of the fountain she was sitting at as 13 tossed Ari her notebook and pen. Ari caught it, deftly. "I want to give you a few notes before I let you go for the day."

Ari just nodded and flipped open to the first blank page, scrawling a heading at the top to help her organize her studies later. "When you went to move the rocks with your wind, there are still boulders that are too heavy to move. How do you maneuver those without creating more issues when you may easily shift the rocks that are keeping them from crushing the civilians?"

Ari hummed, mulling over options in her head. "I guess, for the most part, that is where a team comes in. I am strong enough to do a certain amount of rock shifting by hand and by quirk, but a boulder would require assistance from someone else."

"Or you create a lever and pulley system to safely move it to the side. You can very well end up by yourself in rescue scenarios," Aizawa chimed in.

"Oh, Eraserhead. I didn't realize you were still here."

"He's good at disappearing," 13 commented. "And he has a point. There is a certain amount of your engineering training that you use when performing rescue. You have to remember to analyze the situation before acting. What if the person wants you to save them, but it is more dangerous for you to enter and assist them than it is for you to verbally coach them through something?"

"Where is the boundary between their panic and their ability to assist themselves?" Ari queried.

"It depends on the individual case, but hero work is a delicate balance of knowing when your quirk and skills will be of use and when they will end up hindering the rescue efforts," Aizawa coached. "I see a lot of things from my perch, but often, there are better suited heroes available to civilians in need, and I only step in when I can cancel a quirk and make it easier for the close-range combat specialists - in those cases. When it comes to rescue, I know that I am most often not the best suited, but I will do whatever I can do to save someone's life."

"That's true. My quirk is like yours," 13 added, addressing Arashi. "Strong and, initially, lacking the ability to act with nuance, but still extremely useful. There are many times when it is easier for me to skirt around the edge of the rescue efforts and slowly work my way to the center, rather than rush straight to the center of the action."

After taking a little break and doing a walkthrough with 13 back around the scenario they had just completed, it was dinner time. They all bussed back into town and 13 released Ari from the day's training. They dashed off to an event their agency had planned for them to attend.

The trainees headed to the locker rooms, showering and changing. They all huddled in the plaza of UA for a little bit after they were ready, excitedly chatting about how their days went. Ari sat at the edge of the group, loitering on a bench and just taking in her surroundings, excited for the end of the summer. Miroki approached after a little bit and asked, "Did you want to go get a beer with us?"

"Oh, no thank you!" Ari cheerfully replied. "I may just stay here and read for a little while. It's so peaceful."

Ari stayed on the bench with her book for another half hour when Aizawa exited the building. They made eye contact as she looked up from her studies and Ari smiled brightly. _She's actually studying? It will be interesting to see her progress this summer, _Aizawa thought to himself. He walked over to her and queried, "Do you not have plans for dinner?"

"Nope, I was going to just wander around and find something interesting to do tonight. You?"

"I don't, but-" he hesitated, carefully planning his next question. "I wanted to chat with you further about your goals as a hero and where you are coming from. I often do my hero work at night, but I'd take a late start tonight if you would get a coffee with me first."

"Oh, that sounds fun! I bet you know the city better than anyone, huh?" Her bubbly nature poured out of her, fueled by a good, hard day of successful training.

"Maybe," Shota responded, eyes crinkling slightly at her infectious excitement.

"Where do you recommend we go?"

"What do you prefer?"

"Something nice and local. I like to try new things. But I'd also be happy to try whatever is good enough to be your favorite!"

"That wasn't an answer, but okay," Shota shrugged and began trudging out of the school gates towards his favorite eatery.

Ari quickly collected her bags and hurried after him. The pair talked and ate for a good few hours before Aizawa checked his phone and realized how late he was to his hero work.

"I'm leaving now. You'll get back to your lodgings, alright?"

"Oh yea, I'll be fine. Don't worry about me, please. Stay safe, tonight," she replied, reaching out to put her hand on his forearm before catching herself.

He saw her pause and withdraw, and without thinking, he reached out to cover her hand with both of his. "I will. Don't worry about me, either."

She blushed a little, embarrassed that she would show concern for a pro hero that has survived the kind of things that Eraserhead has. _And, he kinda technically is my teacher, while I'm training with UA staff. But he is pretty cute._

She sighed and turned away from the restaurant entrance, picking her way through the city streets back to her apartment. She spent the rest of the evening stretching and winding down from the exertion of the day. Popping her kettle on, she began making her bedtime tea and misting her plant babies.

A pair of eyes glowed in the darkness just beyond her living room window pane. Ari didn't see them peering at her as she sat down with the warm mug cradled in her hands. _The bitch was right. She won't even know what hit her. I'll be in and out in five minutes once she's asleep, and we'll see what kind of goods she's got then._

Ari woke up to the crash of glass and pottery. She leapt out of bed and dashed around the corner - into the man that was grabbing whatever he could from her home. Waking more fully she called up her quirk to create lashes of wind that trapped him where he stood. Grabbing her curtains, she began to actually bind him when she felt a sharp pain in her side.

She'd been too tired to notice or even think about what this guy's quirk might be. Through her wind, he had created a spike from his skin. Looking to the window she saw a similar spike laying on the ground mixed in with the glass, dirt and ceramics he'd smashed when he came in.

Her will dropped and her quirk stopped. The robber sneered at her as the pain registered across her features. Luckily, the spike was still in her side. As long as it stayed where it was, she could still fight him. Stepping back she summoned up her strength to try to snare him in her wind, again. Cursing at her, his arms strapped back down to his side. Being more careful this time, she watched him and slowly turned the corner back to her room to grab her phone. Keeping her attention on her quirk, she looked down to call the last number on her call list: Aizawa Shota.

When the ringing began on the other side of the line, she switched it to speaker phone and set the device on the nearest surface she could find. "Arashi, what is it?

"I'm downtown monitoring a situation. I can't talk too long."

"There is a man in my apartment, Shota. He stabbed me with his quirk, but I have him-"

"I'm coming there now. What's your address?"

She gave him her location and continued on "-I'm restraining him with something more substantial than my quirk. The pain is really bad, Shota, but I'm doing my best. I rushed in. I'm so stupid."

"Stay on the phone, but don't go near him if you don't have to. Don't get injured further. Please."

"I have to restrain him, Shota. I can't keep up the tendrils of air I'm using to keep him in place. I'm a trained professional, I should be able to do this!"

Aizawa was only listening, not trying to sway her one way or another. He was focusing all his attention on reaching her first. He swung down from the rooftop and through the broken window. He quickly surveyed the room and took in the tendrils that whooshed around the would-be robber. His scarf shot out from his hands and wrapped around its target. He pulled Arashi away from the man, causing her wind to lose some of its strength in the shock.

Next, he wrapped the bindings tightly around the man, and forced him out of the apartment. "I'll be back. At least lock the door behind me. I'm going to take him down to the station to be booked, and I'll be back to check on you."

Arashi stood, waiting. She knew she couldn't sit down: that would cause the spike in her side to twist and injure her further. She shuffled to the linen closet where she kept her first-aid kit and took it back to the table to lay it open. Noticing that the call with Aizawa was still connected when she looked down at the table, her gaze lingered for a moment before she whispered, "Shota?"

_Huh? Oh, I never hung up on her._ _Shit, she had said he'd stabbed her, but I didn't see any blood. Maybe it wasn't deep enough to cause any issues. Hopefully that was the case. _"Arashi, you okay?

"I only remembered that you said you'd been stabbed when I left with him. I didn't see any blood."

"I hadn't removed the spike yet. It's in my side."

"The spike is barbed," the robber walking ahead of Eraserhead sneered.

"Arashi, don't try to pull it out on your own. I'll be back soon and I'm calling Recovery Girl. She doesn't live too far from you, so at the worst, I can take you to her."

"I'll be fine. There's a lot of blood. But - wooh, sorry, got light headed for a second. Damn, I should have grabbed a towel. Didn't think of that."

"Arashi." _Dammit. Stupid. Why didn't she just _wait_?_ _Now I have to worry about her bleeding out before I can get back to her. _

It took Eraserhead 6 more minutes to drag the villain into the station. Once the robber was restrained so that he couldn't injure anyone else, Aizawa made to leave. He jotted down his work number for the officer at the desk and instructed him, "Call me in about 10 minutes, I need to go make sure the occupant of the apartment I found him in is okay."

The officer curtly nodded and took the number from him. "Thank you, sir."

Moving quicker without the struggling weight of an extra body, he swung back around the block and into the broken window once more. Arashi was crumpled in the dining chair, attempting to sterilize the hole in her side. She sucked in air as she poured the rubbing alcohol in the general area of the wound, but missed, horribly. The barbed spike lay on the floor at her side.

Aizawa rushed over and turned the chair so that he was facing the wound as he knelt beside her. "You should have waited to pull this out. I haven't even had the chance to call Recovery Girl. Here, take my phone and call her while I take a look at this."

She softly nodded, too tired from the pain to stop him lifting her shirt and leaning her back. It was a small barb, but the edges of the hole were jagged and it had gone in pretty far. "Ari, this is pretty deep, there isn't much that a home first aid kit can do."

"Aizawa! Is that you?

"All I can hear is breathing: who is hurt?

"Bring them to me, now," Recovery Girl's voice rang through the speaker.

"We're on our way, Recovery Girl. I need to get her to a point where I can move her. Hold on while I do that and I will fill you in once we get moving."

"I-I can stand, I think," Ari sighed.

"Don't even think about it. Sit back down."

Aizawa didn't have to force her. She nearly fell to the side, but his gentle arms guided her form back into the chair so he could properly wrap and apply pressure dressing to the wound before leaving the kitchen. Once he'd finished tying off the bandage, he scooped her into his arms and said, "Let's go."

"I can walk, I promise. You said it wasn't far, right?"

"It's far enough away that I don't trust you to make it there. Just let me carry you."

Ari moaned, which Aizawa took as agreement. With no hesitation he hoisted her into his arms and walked out the door and to Recovery Girl's home.

After one of Recovery Girl's healing smooches, Ari was nearly perfectly fine. The smallest dot of a scar left over. "She lost a good amount of blood, Eraserhead. What took you so long?"

"I had to secure the robber. And I didn't realize that she was injured this badly. When I left the apartment with the villain, she was still safe, with the barb in her side."

"I took it out while he was go-unh," Ari groaned, sitting up straight on the bed.

"Well that was foolish of you."

A chuckle escaped Ari, "I realize that. I was being stubborn. I was embarrassed that I'd let some lowtime robber break into my home and injure me."

"Pride is dangerous, Arashi," Aizawa grumbled. "What if we'd hung up and I didn't know that I should hurry back?"

"I understand that. I am very sorry. I'm still too naive, I guess. I'm an idiot. Thank you for helping me. Both of you. Recovery Girl, I'm extremely grateful. If you hadn't healed me, I would have had to slow down on my training."

"Actually, I've already messaged 13. They've approved you to miss classes today so that you can rest and clean up."

"Today? It's already passed midnight?"

"Yes."

"Oh man. I'm so sorry to have kept you guys up this late. I really don't want to be anymore of a bother."

"You are, of course, no bother, my dear. I am here to help. At the very least, let Aizawa walk you home and help you get situated. You're likely to still feel pretty sore while your blood replenishes itself."

Trying to stand, Ari tensed. "You're right. I am still feeling it a bit."

Aizawa rushed to her side to wrap his arm around her back in support. "Thank you," she whispered, looking up at him.

He simply nodded as he looked back at Recovery Girl, silently asking for clearance to leave. "Rest well, you two."

The pair trundled out of the house and back through the dark streets. Aizawa paused, forcing Arashi to halt, as well. "Would you prefer to come back to my home?

"There isn't a bunch of broken glass to worry about, and you can just focus on sleeping. We can go back to yours in the morning and start the clean up. There isn't much to be done about a shattered window until stores open up in the morning. It's the most logical route."

"You're so funny. Do you offer your bed to every damsel you save?

"You know, I don't necessarily follow logic in my decision making," she softly joked.

"I've noticed. And you should more often."

"However," she looked him in the eye. "Resting in a space that I trust is safe sounds very nice. Thank you for offering."

"So yes?"

"Yes, I would love that."

His eyes lightened and he straightened up. "Alright, hold on to me."

"Of course," Ari teased, squeezing more into his solid side.

The couple walked for another 15 minutes back to the ward where Aizawa stayed when he was off-campus. His place was minimalist and calming. A plain cement home, surrounded by a tranquil garden space with the sounds of trickling water. Shota led Ari through the front fence and into his foyer. She shuffled over to the wall, propping herself up to remove her shoes.

"I could've helped with that, if you'd asked."

"I didn't want to ask. You've done enough for me today, as it is."

"This is what I'm here for. Let me help," he intoned as he reached towards her.

"Thank you, Mr. Aizawa. But I've asked so much of you, already."

He blushed. "I didn't mean to be forward, Miss Rose. I merely mean to help you."

"Ew, please don't call me that," she wearily chuckled. "I would much rather you call me Ari," she smirked

Disconcerted by her flirtatious shift in tone, he responded, "Tell me what you want from me."

"I dunno, honestly," she groggily shrugged, too dazed to realize he meant in that exact moment. "I am more than intrigued by you. And I can't deny that your expertise and cool demeanor are attractive to me. There's so much I want to learn from you."

He stepped back from her slightly shocked, but doing his best not to show it on his face. "You must be feeling better," he muttered as he turned heel and walked into the living area.

"I'm exhausted, actually. I have trouble stopping my thoughts from reaching my mouth when I'm this sleepy," this statement was punctuated with a yawn and her falling back into the wall.

Aizawa snatched her back up with a length of his scarf. "Time for bed… Ari."

She smiled softly and sauntered towards Shota, his scarf still propping her up slightly from behind. He watched her lithe steps towards him, and admittedly, felt slightly uncomfortable. _What was I thinking? _

_She's still so young. She's only, what, _19?

_Why is she even here? _

_So illogical._

He turned away from her, clearing his head of the image of her sultry sway. "Follow me."

They made their way upstairs to the only bedroom in the house. The bed was neatly made, like it was never actually slept in. Ari looked over to Aizawa questioningly and giggled. He ignored her and simply walked up to the low-lying bed, turning the covers back for her. She plopped straight down into the middle of the bed, completely ignoring his turn-down service. She laughed as she laid back into the plush mattress. "Oh, this bed is so soft and squishy! You definitely don't sleep here, do you?

"You could never luxuriate in a bed like this. That's why it was made so nicely, huh?"

Aizawa just grunted in response. "No, I won't join you in that bed. I actually need to continue on with my night, once I check that you are settled and feel safe."

"Oh," Ari lightly sighed out. "I just need to know where your restroom is, and I'll make myself at home, then," suddenly serious, realizing that she was keeping him from rescuing others.

"It's the door across the hall. I'm sure you would have found it."

His steely response set Arashi back a bit in her flirtations. Instead, she changed tactics and just walked over to his dresser. "I didn't bring any fresh pajamas along, can I borrow a shirt or something?"

"Oh," it was his turn to be surprised. "Of course, please, select whatever you find comfortable. I apologize for not thinking of that."

"Don't worry about it," she smugly shook off the apology, feeling like she beat him at his attempt to freeze her out. She rifled through the top drawer and found a large, old tshirt. "I'll wear this one. It looks nice and broken in."

Before he could turn around, Ari's pants were around her ankles and she was reaching under the hem of her shirt to pull it over her bright hair. Shota tensely left the room, averting his eyes as best he could and saying, "Sleep well. I will be back around dawn."

"Okay," she sing-songed. "Have fun and stay safe."

Once dressed in his long t-shirt, she snuggled down into the blankets and wrapped herself into a little human burrito. She lightly snored as she slept and woke up only when Aizawa sat down on the edge of the bed the next morning.

Trying not to let him know he'd woken her, she watched him relax for a moment. Then she sent a little _poof_ of air over to him to muss up his hair even more than it was from his night of work. She giggled. He ignored it, though. Ari sat up, deciding she would tease him a little more directly, instead.

Her arm reached around his side to lay along the top of his own arm. She could feel him tense, but she played her fingers over the bare skin on his hand. His breath hitched, for just one moment. Then he turned over his left shoulder, grabbing her left hand with his right to keep her still. Their breath mingled for the split second that their eyes locked onto one another. Ari felt his lips gently touch her own when her eyes closed. He turned to face her fully, rising to his knees between her blanket-covered legs. Pausing for a brief moment, he made sure to make eye contact before asking, "Is this okay?"

Ari's only response was to lean back into the kiss and deepen the interaction. Keeping contact, Arashi moved to uncover her legs and wrap them around Shota. His hand trailed up along her leg, toying with the hem of his t-shirt. Her breathing shuddered at the gentle tickling sensation and she hummed into his lips. He quirked a small smile and began to lean over her, resting his weight on his left arm, while his right slipped up and along the faint difference between her stomach and rib cage, applying pressure to her sternum. Ari was forced to lay back down into the pillows, hair splaying out beneath her.

Shota looked down at her smiley, sleepy eyes and couldn't help but smile back to her. The pair moaned and sighed their way through the early morning. When he'd completely exhausted himself and fallen asleep, Arashi kissed his eyelids and padded downstairs to the kitchen to make breakfast and start her day.

By the end of the day, Ari had finished organizing the replacement of her window, but it would be another three before the glass she ordered could be brought to the flat for installation.

Miroki and Akiko had been messaging back and forth with her all day, making sure she was alright and didn't need any help organizing her window replacement.

Miro - **Are you sure that you don't need a place to stay? **

Akiko - **My apartment isn't very far from yours…**

Ari could read the double meaning behind Kiko's message, and tried to come up with a response that could address their fears.

Ari - **It seemed like a one time fluke thing, honestly. I don't think that is very typical in this area from everyone's reactions, so far, but honestly, I will figure it out, I guess.**

Ari - **Thank you for the offer, Miroki. Let me see where I am at tonight and decide if I can just feel safe here or not.**

She sighed over her cup of tea, curling over the tabletop and putting her face into the crook of her elbow. She couldn't stop thinking about being with Aizawa this morning. _What if someone finds out? I can't let Miroki and Kiko know that I've been with Aizawa. I don't know them like that yet. _A message pinged on her phone.

**You can stay at my place until the window is installed. No sense in having you sleep in a house with a wide open window. **\- Aizawa

She swiped the screen on and clicked out a response. **I appreciate that. Let me pack a bag and head your way. I'll need your address, though, I was too tired to remember the way last night… and this morning.**

His response came swiftly. Just a simple message with his house number and street.

Ari and Shota stayed this way for the rest of the week, even once the window was installed. He worked all night, every night: Ari realized that was why he was always so tired. "There's too much work to be done. It's illogical to take a break," he replied when she'd questioned him.

So really, Arashi stayed alone at his place, but it felt nice to relish in his attention when he came home each morning. It wasn't serious, she knew, and they had stated as much. She was only here to train with these heroes over summer break. At the end of all this, she would be straight on a plane back home, to begin her residency with a rescue team in the mountains.

Ari did her best to hide her true whereabouts from the other trainees, even with meeting up with them for coffee and meals while Shota was busy elsewhere. Of course, Miroki kept asking questions about where she was staying even though Ari would never answer. And Akiko just seemed to quietly watch from the sidelines, taking everything in.


	5. The Eraserhead Tryst: A Morning Together

Aizawa would never tell it to anyone but Ari, but he loved coming home to her at dawn. He'd walk into his room, exhausted. He always made sure to squeeze in his eye drops before he entered, one of his little ticks. He told himself it was so that his vision would be clear and he wouldn't miss any little detail, if he could help it. This wasn't love: he was clear-headed enough to realize that. He'd felt love before, and put it to the side. But she filled a much needed void of companionship he felt.

The pale gray light of dawn danced along her halo of red hair. She kept it just below her shoulders, but it still blossomed around her head like the petals of a flower, tangled and mussed from her dreams. Her body splayed in all directions. Shota was glad that he didn't actually sleep in the same bed as her: Ari was very active, even in her sleep.

That seventh night Ari slept over, he'd come in to her panicked mumbling. Worried, Shota rushed in to see what was going on and found her flat on her stomach in the middle of a tangle of grey sheets. The blanket laid on the floor in a messy heap and a pillow had - somehow - made its way to the door of the bathroom across the hall. Taking it all in, Aizawa thought, _She hasn't been _quite this _active, yet. She must be dreaming._

When he attempted to gently wake her from the dream, her eyes snapped open. With a _whoosh_, the air stiffened around him, rigid with her fear. "You're safe," he stated, cooly yet comfortingly.

She gasped, releasing the tension from the air around them, and focused in on the face in front of her. Her demeanor shifted when she realized that it was Aizawa. She dipped back into the mess of pillows behind her and, with a smile, said, "Thank you for waking me, Shota. That was _not _a good dream."

He simply nodded and leaned over to lay a soft kiss on her nose. "I assume that is how the pillow ended up across the hall?"

She giggled and sprung up to retrieve the pillow and make the bed up for the day while Aizawa shuffled over to drag out his sleeping bag and crawl inside. "Sleep well," Arashi chirped as she stepped over him on the floor and wandered down into the kitchen.

She listened for his snoring and did her best to quietly make herself breakfast and coffee. The chirping of morning birds pulled her out to the back garden where she sprawled out in the grass. With her mug of coffee and a plate of fruits and toast in between her legs, Ari hummed contentedly and mulled over the dream she'd been having when Aizawa woke her.

_I was sitting at a mexican restaurant back home, eating enchiladas and laughing at the person I was with. Some grumbly gremlin of a motherfucker._ A soft smile played on her lips thinking of the person.

_Next I remember, I was in the middle of the strongest storm I've ever seen. I could feel all this fear and tension in my heart; all this anxiety. Yet, I was still moving forward: I was moving my arms to focus my quirk's attention towards certain air currents in the storm's clouds, like I have before, but this time, my skin was glowing. It was lit up with power; with the electric currents around me, probably. _

_I could feel each pelt of the raindrops as they hit and sizzled along my skin. I could feel the difference in strength, like I was fully embodying my quirk. No wonder the sheets and pillows were everywhere. I'm surprised nothing manifested that messed up the rest of the room._

When Aizawa woke, a few hours later, he gazed about the room and noticed the way his few possessions were all skewed at odd angles. He wondered if that was a symptom of her nightmare. _I'm glad it wasn't much stronger than just moving things. _His eyebrows raised, _I'm glad I don't have that much stuff, period._

_I really haven't slept that long, but I don't think I'll manage sleeping today. _He unzipped his sleeping bag, deciding to just get up and look for Ari. Finally changing into a more comfortable t-shirt and long pants, he slung the sleeping bag over his shoulder and strolled downstairs. And there she was, her red hair swaying around her as she hummed and danced along with the music she was playing on his record player.

He watched her, mesmerized for a brief moment. The clock over the mantle read, 7:30. "You need to be on campus in an hour."

Startled, Ari whipped around to face him, Shota's oversized t-shirt flying up around her waist. He risked her seeing his slight smile before he continued down the stairs. Ari was too flustered to notice the turn of his lips. A string of English curse words peppered with "Shota" sprang from her lips. He just raised his eyebrows. "What a polite way to say, _Good morning_."

When she calmed and finally noticed his playful smirk, she put her weight into her hip and cocked her head. "Oh, I see. Well, if that's how you're feeling than I do have a whole morning freed up. Check your email, _teach_."

Aizawa checked his phone. There were three emails: all of them discussing a shift of focus to urban nightlife training for the day. Mildly frustrated, he refocused his attention on Ari. _In that case, then_. His smile splayed across his cheeks and he stood at the foot of the stairs, waiting for her to break and come to him. "You can't make me, Shota Aizawa," she sassed back. "I know that look in your eyes, and I won't fall for it."

Aizawa just shrugged and folded his arms over the banister, lazily laying his head over the top of them. "I can just go back to sleep, then, since I have the morning off," he replied, knowing full well that just thinking about the flush in her cheeks would keep him awake.

"Tch, yea right. You wouldn't be downstairs if you could sleep," she teased, taking the first step toward him.

Shota kept a neutral sleepy expression. He really did want to take this back to the bedroom; which meant he needed her to come to him. When he saw her recognize the misstep and pause, he teasingly shrugged again and turned to go back up the stairs.

Ari moved to stand behind the couch and watch him ascend. His yellow sleeping bag covered most of his form. She was craving him and his steady hands: Ari couldn't help but blush at the thought of letting him have control of her. She pulled herself out of her thoughts when she heard the shuffle of the blankets on the bed. Her smile grew as she took the stairs two at a time and gracefully turned the corner into the bedroom at the top.

Shota had piled his sleeping bag in the corner of the room, and reclined in the center of the bed. His arms were tucked behind his head and Ari caught him peek at her out of one eye. She giggled at his playful attempt at asking her for sex: it was pretty out of character for him, but she wanted him to know how much she appreciated the humor. She quickly moved to the bed and practically jumped to straddle his hips. Aizawa couldn't help but let out a whoosh of breath as he felt her weight land on him. He did his best to maintain his reclined and relaxed pose: he wanted to give her the chance to play and lead some.

Ari leaned over, letting her hair brush lightly across his cheeks. She lifted a gentle hand to trace just below his right eye. Reverently, she leaned down to place a soft kiss on the scar that marked his heroism. His eyelids fluttered open as she whispered, "You are such a good man, Aizawa Shota. I am so thankful to know you."

Touched by her gentle demeanor, Shota wrapped his arms behind her back and pulled her body down to his. He turned so they were facing one another in the bedsheets and caught her soft gaze. "You are a kind and loving young woman, Ari," he whispered back, lips pressed to hers.

Hands trailed along hems; soft, passionate moans escaped from Ari; she matched his intensity by rolling her body along the length of him. His cool touch slipped beneath her clothes and landed on her skin with a quick intake of breath. When his fingers began playing over her aroused nipples, Ari couldn't stop herself.

She grabbed his hips at the hem of his pants and pulled them as tightly to her own as she could. Her hands grasped at the curve of his back, and her fingers slipped under the elastic at his hips. Tugging at his pants while he softly kissed her neck and collarbone, she felt him smile against her. "You don't want more time to tease?" he mumbled into the soft, bright red skin of her shoulder.

"I want all of it. Right now. Please," she begged.

After, they fell asleep wrapped around one another for a few more hours, before the buzzing on Ari's phone downstairs woke them. Ari checked the clock on Aizawa's bedroom wall, noticing that it was slightly crooked, too. They still had another two hours before training, so what could that be?

Aizawa just yawned and went right back to sleep, but Ari was too curious. She meandered downstairs and found her phone crammed into the seams of the sofa cushions. It was Miroki calling to ask if Ari wanted to meet up for lunch before their night shift began. "Sure, we can do lunch! Text me the address and I'll meet you there!"

Ari rushed upstairs to rinse off in the shower, and tell Aizawa where she was headed. "I'll see you at campus for check in," he mumbled, turning his head back to the pillow.

Ari laughed and tugged on her training clothes. Aizawa's eyes slowly opened to watch her. She leaned back over him to place a gentle kiss to his cheek. "Fucking you is probably the only way to get you to fall asleep in a bed," she mused, packing her hero gear into her gym bag.

The door clicked shut and auto-locked behind Ari as she made her way out through the front garden. Miroki finally pinged back the location Ari was heading to. Stopping on the corner Ari paused to orient to her destination. Shota could see her ponytail bobbing down the street from his bedroom window. He sighed, _She's such a pleasant distraction. Unfortunately. I really need to pull my lesson plan for tonight together._

Miroki sat with her takoyaki, munching away when Ari arrived. "Oh Ari!" she called, trying to swallow the large ball without chewing so that she could talk with her classmate.

Akiko sat to her left, warming her hands on a mug of tea. "It's alright, Miroki. Finish chewing," Ari giggled. The plastic booth squeaked under her as she sat down.

"I ordered you some, too," Miroki finally stated after she swallowed the last bit of octopus.

"Oh! Thank you, Miroki! And thank you for dragging me out of the house before class. I feel like I've been really lazy lately. I've been having lots of weird dreams…" Ari trailed off.

"I was wondering about that. How are you getting over the robbery?" Miroki asked, looking genuinely concerned.

"Are you able to settle back into your apartment, okay?" Akiko followed up.

"Not really, honestly. I haven't been staying at my apartment. I've been with someone that makes me feel safe most nights - okay, all nights," Ari gushed.

"I was going to make a comment about you coming from the wrong direction," Miro teased. Akiko tilted her head and seemed to be taking a read of Ari's emotions.

Ari couldn't help but blush lightly, remembering her morning with Shota. "Oh my gosh," Miroki leaned across the table to conspiratorially demand, "What's their name?"

"I don't want to tell anyone, honestly," Ari replied.

"How did you meet them?"

"Miro," Ari whined. "I really can't say."

"Wait, _can't _or _won't_? Those are very different statements, Ari. Now I'm imagining all sorts of possibilities," Miroki crashed back into the padded booth, smiling wide."I mean, they could be a married man; it could be a villain…" she gasped, "It's not a villain, is it? Oh the scandal!"

"You have such a wild imagination," Ari laughed, "but you won't crack me, Miroki. I won't say."

"Well fine, then," Miro pouted as Ari's takoyaki arrived.

Visibly uncomfortable with the emotional energy and conversation topics, Kiko changed the subject, "Lunch Rush will be making us some dinner before we go out on patrol, right?"

Miro just rolled her eyes at her friend, "Of course they will. Do you know what we might be doing tonight?" Miro phrased this carefully, testing a hunch she'd been mulling over the last few days of training.

Ari caught her sly attempt at probing for answers to their previous conversation and wryly smiled. "Patrol reconnaissance, I assume. According to the email this morning, we'll be staying urban, so we must be working with Aizawa Sensei, right?" Ari smugly raised her eyebrows as she spoke, teasing Miro. _She knows. I am just not willing to give up Shota that way_.

Miro decided to change the subject completely from her mysterious friend's escapades. When they were first meeting and bonding the week before training began, Ari had shared lots about her personal life. Miroki recognized that if Ari was keeping something private, it probably was important to her; and with Akiko picking up all the frenetic energy, Miro didn't want to overwhelm her, either. So, she stopped snooping and changed the subject to plan a shopping day trip out to one of her favorite wards.

"I can't wait to show you the garden shop they have in that district. I know you will just love it! And Akiko, you'll love the lingerie shop that's there," she said teasing the young woman.

"I feel like you have that backwards, Miro." Ari sighed and said, "I feel like I've been neglecting my poor plant babies lately. I should actually dash over to the apartment and feed them before training. Would you two want to come with me?"

"Sure! I haven't gotten to see your place in a while; although, I'm sure it will look exactly the same if you haven't been living there," Miro ribbed.

Ari rolled her eyes, throwing her cash down on the table to pay. "You're the worst," she chuckled.

The young women walked through the streets to Ari's apartment. "Fred!" Ari cheerily exclaimed once the door clicked open. Miro laughed openly at her friend's names for the plants. _Fred_ was the one little fern clipping she had brought from home off of _Fred Sr._

"It is so cute that you have them all named, truly. It's so adorable," Akiko commented, lovingly looking them all over.

Ari threw a smile over her shoulder, "Thanks! It really helps them grow if they have an identity. Ooh! Right, I need to grab a few more outfits and things while I am here."

"Does the place where you are staying not have laundry?"

"Your questions are so obvious, Miro. Thank you for continuing to try. It does have laundry. That isn't exactly what I'm worried about, though. I just want some of my favorite pieces that I've been wanting to wear."

"Ooo, I see," Miro responded, waggling her eyebrows at Ari.  
Ari turned and saw her friends' sharing suggestive looks and laughed. "Wait for me here for a second. I'll only be a moment more."

Akiko looked around at the plants and began misting them with the spray bottle on the counter. She poked at the soil to check the dampness and, satisfied, went to open the curtain in the living room.

"Please don't do that," Ari said, coming back around the corner. "I don't like the idea of being in here when it is dark and not being able to see out the window. All I feel are eyes peering in at me when it's like that now."

Akiko shrunk back in response to the anxiety and fear she felt from Ari. "I'm so sorry, Ari. I didn't think of that. Of course."

"It's okay really," she insisted moving to check on her plants. "Thank you for watering them! Y'all ready to go?"

"I actually won't be joining tonight," Akiko awkwardly decided. "I don't think I'll be very useful on the mission. I'm sure Aizawa Sensei has other training I can do."

Akiko nodded and shuffled to the door, staring at her feet. Miroki beamed and followed after, hand on the door knob, waiting for Ari to collect her things and follow along behind.

"Miss Rose, please do not wear your hero costume tonight. It's reflective properties are not conducive to our goals," Aizawa flatly stated as he passed her on his way into the classroom.

"It's a good thing I have a plain version, then, too. It's only logical to have multiple iterations." Ari rebutted, smiling teasingly at him.

_Ugh, he is completely unflappable when we're here. That's probably a good thing, Ari. It may be genuine and rational, but that doesn't mean we should be flaunting that we are sleeping with each other. Why does he always get to be right, even when he didn't actually tell me I was wrong?_

Ari shook it off and sauntered to the locker room to change, not quite catching the way Aizawa's half-lidded eyes tracked her swaying hips in his peripheral. Once the three trainees were in the classroom once more, Aizawa outlined the details of his plan for the evening.

"Miss Okada will not be joining us this evening, so it will be you three and myself."

"Is she alright?" Suru asked, genuine concern painting his features. _He's a perv, but he is kind, _Ari thought.

"She is perfectly alright, but is choosing to take the time to focus on training her quirk alone this evening.

"There is a warehouse on the far side of town that I have been monitoring the last few nights, off and on. Nothing too pressing seems to be happening, just yet. Tonight I will leave you three to take care of gathering information on the registered villains using the warehouse as a hideout. These are your ear pieces, so that you can communicate with me and each other. Act professionally: we are recording."

"Good to know," Ari mumbled with a wry smile playing at the corner of her mouth.

Aizawa fixed her with a dead stare. "Continuing on. There are at least 6 people currently living there: 3 of them are registered as villains with a criminal past. So far, I have gleaned that they are planning a heist of a fine art museum. From here, we need enough evidence to support the signing of a warrant so that the police can raid the warehouse and confiscate any illicit materials. We expect you three to collect details about any weapons, unknown quirks, and movements of the occupants. If someone leaves, tell me which entrance they are exiting from and I will follow them to whatever destination. You will do the same, as needed.

"You will also be taking a recording device to affix to strategic points of the warehouse exterior so that we may record beyond our night tonight and continue to collect evidence. Miss Rose, I would like you to take 3, since your ability to maneuver around and over the warehouse may be the most apt for attaching the devices.

"Understood?"

"Yes, sir!" the three trainees stated, in unison.

They loaded into a discreet black vehicle with tinted windows and began the drive towards the warehouse they would be monitoring. Aizawa was in the front seat, the three trainees crammed just slightly awkwardly into the backseat. Luckily, Miroki was in the middle. "Hey Suru," Miro whispered, "that's _my_ thigh, not Ari's. You gotta keep going if you want to feel her up."

Ari lightly slapped the back of Suru's hand as he inched it across Miro's lap. "We talked about this, Suru," Ari sharply intoned.

Miro's eyebrows rose, _Either he's the one and she doesn't want the instructors to know or whatever fling she has going is pretty serious. She's too mysterious._

"Oh come on, Ari. It wasn't on purpose. Look how smashed up into the car window I am. I should've sat in the middle," he tried to smooth over the flub.

"Just 'cause your quirk is wood, doesn't mean you always have to announce to the world that you're packing a hard-on," Ari shot back. Her motion sickness was already getting to her as she sat in the cramped, stifling air of the back seat.

Aizawa started to turn his head to see if he needed to intervene, but decided against it when he saw the green look of Ari's features; this was indiscriminate frustration. He saw her hand reach for the window button and quickly depressed the button on his own door to lock her window. "Not cool, Eraserhead. I saw that. Why can't I open my window?

"I need _air_," she dramatically gasped out.

"Don't be a child, Miss Rose. We cannot be seen coming into or out of this area."

"Well, do we need a driver? No offense," She quickly directed to the man in the seat in front of her. "It's just - I have my international license, so I can drive, and then - you know - my motion sickness won't be nearly as bad."

"I am fully aware of your ability to drive, Rose. Do not think that that wasn't considered. This is simply school policy in case of any liabilities."

Miroki watched her friend's face turn red with frustration. Ari's jaw tightened and released, as if she had more to say, but she held back; while, Eraserhead placidly looked through the windshield and watched the street lights streak by.

_I know it's Eraserhead. It's gotta be. Ari wouldn't have started that line of conversation with 13. And if she were going to start that line of conversation, she wouldn't just stop unless she had good reason to. I have to drag it out of her. I have to!_ Miroki squeaked lightly out loud with her final thought and excitedly slapped Suru and Ari's thighs.

"Hey! -"

"What the hell Miroki?!"

Her seatmates whipped to look at her, but Miroki just stared at Eraserhead with a twinkling, mischievous look in her eyes that made Ari immediately shrink back. _Shit_, Ari thought. _She looks pretty sure._ _What do I do to make it all seem normal?_

_Ugh, I just need to act like Shota isn't even here ..._"Seriously, Miroki, that hurt," Ari whined and looked back at the window, "I just want out of this car."

"I'm sure you do, Ari," Miroki sing-songed, leaning into and wrapping her arms around Arashi's neck.

"Get off me, you throw blanket!"

"Quiet. Now. We are getting close," Eraserhead suddenly interjected.

They all sat up straight and peered out the windows of the car, orienting to their surroundings.

Warehouses loomed all around them, with a few convenience shops and food stands peppered along the sidewalks. The car slowed as Eraserhead stated, "We get out at the next intersection. From there you take the individual routes we discussed back at the campus."

He didn't turn to see, but the three trainees nodded their understanding and Eraserhead heard their seatbelts _click_ from the buckles.

Ari was the first out of the car. Before the car could even come to a complete stop, her door was open. Surprised, Eraserhead almost reached back to pull her into the vehicle, but she was sure-footed as she stepped out and adjusted to the stillness.

Eraserhead followed next: stepping out just as he felt the car stop fully.

Miroki and Suru unpacked themselves from the car and immediately took off on their respective routes. Before heading to her post, Ari took the opportunity to whisper a dig to Shota. "I was surprised the door didn't have the child safety lock engaged."

Aizawa met her steady and mischievous gaze, raising one eyebrow in response. "Go to your post, Avant. Keep me informed," he pointedly looked to her earpiece and tapped his own, using Ari's hero name.

Ari - Avant - turned to look at the street signs and floated up above the buildings to take her position. As she approached the warehouse, she drifted down to a rooftop with a view into one of the tall, rectangular windows closer to the roof. _Feels a little like home, _Ari distractedly mused.


	6. The Eraserhead Tryst: Nightwatch

Most of the warehouse was dark, but small rays of light peeked out from between a break in some sort of barrier to the west end of the warehouse. "I see light," she reported over the ear pieces.

"How far from your current position is it, Avant?" Eraserhead asked, knowing she could float to the window to peer inside, if there wasn't too much risk of her being spotted.

"Probably about 30 fe -" _Oops, metric, Ari_, "- more like 9.5 metres."

"Are you registering movement?" Suru asked. Ari floated above the warehouse roof to spot Suru leaning against a railing on the water, pretending to be fishing.

"Just you, Oak (Suru Saito; Hero Name: Professor Oak; Quirk: Chlorophyll Cells that give him super strength). Flicking that rod around like you have no clue what you're doing."

"Focus, Avant," Miroki (Miroki Fujita; Hero Name: Black Osprey; Quirk: Green Gaze that gives her x-ray vision and can be focused into a radioactive stare), stated flatly over her ear piece. "Get back to your position and let us know if you see any shadows."

Ari nodded to herself. "You're right," movement caught Ari's eye in the windows she could see back on her side of the building. "There is movement, I'm sneaking in for a closer look."

"Keep us updated, Avant. If there is any risk of you being spotted, pull back," Eraserhead's monotone spoke.

"Will do. Right now, I'm able to just see into the main room of the warehouse's upper level, here. There's at least one in this layout -"

"Someone is leaving the west entrance," Osprey quickly whispered over her headset. "They are headed directly to you, Eraserhead."

Osprey waited to see Eraserhead's faint shadow following the target via the rooftops before moving to a position where she could see the west front of the building and be ready to follow should anyone else exit and head in a different direction. "What are you seeing, Avant?" she followed up, while repositioning.

"There are five figures in the room." _I have to be careful since my hair will float up with my quirk._ She maneuvered herself to hold onto the top of the window, so that she was seeing the room upside down, but her hair was safely floating up and outside the frame of the window. She pulled the nondescript listening devices Aizawa had doled out to them and affixed it to the top of the window. _It should be able to pick up the vocal vibrations through the cinderblock and transmit back to us. I'm glad Shota trusted me with a few of these. I'll just float around and place them once we decide what the other advantageous spots are,_ Ari thought before letting her eyes focus into the gloom of the window again.

"There are two with long hair and two with short, cropped cuts. The room is too dark to really make out color well. There is a couch that three are sitting on. Wait…" _I recognize that face, where from?_

"What is it Ar-Avant?" Osprey queried.

"I may recognize one of them, but I can't place the face. My brain will come up with it eventually, if I do know them. Two of the figures on the couch are nearly identical. They are gesturing with their hands a lot. Hmm, then there is a fourth figure in the corner by one of the doors to the room. I'm assuming the quickest exit from the building: their body language is really tense."

"How tall?" Eraserhead's voice quickly asked.

"About 185 cm. Short hair, muscular build. This should be Dog Ear, then, Eraserhead?"

"Yea, that sounds like him. Look out for the missing chunk of his left ear: that'll be a sure sign. I'm currently tracking Ko. We're heading towards a drug store, so I assume she's gathering reagents for her gasses."

Ari felt a pair of eyes lock on to her. "Shit!" Ari pushed herself up and away from the building. "I might have been spotted. Oak, start moving as far from the building as you can, just in case. Osprey, back up and get ready to move, as well. Can you monitor them to see if they start taking action?"

"Avant, where are you now?" Oak asked.

"Over the roof, the only real blindspot, hopefully. Let's give it two minutes to see if they start clearing out of the building or taking defensive action."

Ari slowly and calmly counted out two minutes: waiting. When there was no movement in the windows, and Osprey didn't speak up to report anyone leaving the building, Ari decided she could venture another look. "Everyone check in, please. I'm going back to the window to see if they've reoriented and are just waiting for us to make a move."

"I'm here," Professor Oak stated.

"Here. Closer to the door than you'd like me, I'm sure, but there hasn't been any movement, whatsoever," Osprey added.

"Should I move back into position?" Oak asked

"Wait. Eraserhead?" Ari asked, slightly concerned that he hadn't spoken any criticism about her being spotted.

"I'm here. Trying to maintain radio silence. The streets are too empty."

"Oak, if you move back in, now, you might as well drop the fishing charade. Just stick to the shadows. Find a perch, if you can. Something to get you out of the direct eye-line."

Ari slowly peered in the corner of the second window to the room. The eyes that had caught her the first time were those of the tall blonde woman in the middle of the couch. _She must not have even alerted her colleagues. They're all still in the same positions, doing just about the same things. _But Ari knew she was the one because the blonde's eyes slowly scanned the window pane. As the bright blue orbs danced towards Ari's corner, she ducked back out of the frame.

_Shit, she did see me! But why wouldn't she alert the others?_

Pausing back on the rooftop, Ari checked in, "She definitely saw me. The one that I recognize from… somewhere. But she didn't seem to alert anyone else in the room. They are all in the same positions. The fifth person is at the table in the middle of the room, scrawling on some papers.

"She's actively scanning the windows for me, so I don't think I can watch much more. I'm going to head to the eastern door to watch for now. They seem pretty deep in their planning. Eraserhead, where are you and Ko, now?"

"Returning, it seems. She has her arms full, so she is going slower."

"Okay, Osprey, can you see into the building from where you are?"

"Yea, I've been watching the lower floor since we arrived. There's just a lot of chem lab type of equipment -"

"So that's where she's making her gasses," Oak interrupted.

"Yes, that is what I've deduced, thus far," Eraserhead responded. "What else have you seen tonight, Osprey?"

"Well, _now _there is movement. Someone is coming down from the upstairs room. Tall, long hair, walking with a purpose towards… towards the southern windows and the southeastern door."

"That's her, the other long-haired person was petite and sort of shrinking, not determined. She's looking for me."

"Avant, get back away from the building. We are not here to engage. Keep out of sight. Osprey, keep an eye on the rest of the team: are they also moving away from what they have been doing?"

"No, I'm reading four more people, still in the same positions Avant described earlier."

Oak's voice crackled over the headsets, "She's moved on to the north side of the building, I can see her in one of the doors. She looks like she is checking for you outside. Avant, how far have you pulled back?"

From her vantage point, Ari could see the moon beginning to set. Ari was far enough away that the ear piece was crackling against her ear drum. "I'm in the cloud cover."

Eraserhead took note. _That was a very logical move. Good job, Arashi._

"Ko is re-entering the warehouse on the western side; the other woman is greeting her and helping with the bags. Where are you positioning, Eraser?"

"I'll be on the south west corner here, once more. Circle back around to the east, you two. Avant, come back down and take up position, while she's distracted."

"I'm coming," Ari whispered, smirking to herself.

Except, the reactionary moan she heard in response to her veiled innuendo came from Oak. _Ugh, if only they couldn't hear us_. The rest of the team just ignored him.

As she reached her perch on the roof of the warehouse to the south east of the target building, Ari broke the silence, "In position. Osprey, can you see where they are?"

"Yea, they are unpacking the bags, and it looks like Ko is beginning a procedure with something, already."

"We need more info on these other villains. We need to get close enough to the building to place our bugs," Oak commented.

"I already placed one of mine on the window frame before she saw me. The recording software back at campus should already be picking up any conversation they're having up there. I have two more that I can easily float around and place while she is distracted."

"I wouldn't exactly call her distracted, Avant. She may be helping Ko, but she is definitely still keeping her head up and looking around to the windows," Osprey warned.

"Well then, I better place them quick and stay out of sight of the windows, huh?" Eraserhead sighed at her pluck. "Just need to know confirmation of where you think the best placements are."

"Don't worry about the west side. Osprey and I will move in to place ours," Eraserhead confirmed. "Osprey, aim to place yours discreetly near the bottom of the main door. Mine will go on the window in the upper corner here."

"If I leave mine on the exterior on this side of the building, all it will pick up is wind noise," Oak stated. "Avant, if I launch mine your way, you think you can catch it?"

"Of course, Oak."

"Mine is placed," came Osprey's voice.

"Mine, as well. Oak, get your device to Avant and retreat to campus to begin monitoring the recordings. Osprey, take up position to cover the northern gap."

Avant heard the whistle of the small machine hurtling towards her and summoned the air to bring it down to her gently. She floated back down to the eastern door and placed Oak's device on the top of the door frame. "I'd like to sneak in to get the devices inside."

"No," came Aizawa's sharp reply. "It's illegal for us to enter without cause and it's dangerous for you to enter. You know that."

"I was just thinking out loud, Eraserhead. I won't," her reply a little more surly than she wanted, but she didn't like being scolded in front of everyone else.

Osprey activated her quirk once she reached her position and began tracking the movements inside, once more. At this time of night, it took extra concentration for her to keep herself from getting nauseous - her quirk's side effect - since she was so sleepy. "Ari, I'm looking for cover for tucking the device out of the wind on the north side here. This is the side that all the lab equipment is on, at least."

"Yea, I see nothing. It's all just pylons on my side, and yours doesn't look much better, but… one second."

Ari flew down to the edge of the rooftop and felt for the depth between wall and gutter. "Eraser, how strong a signal does this thing have, if I were to put it up under the roof? Will it be able to pick up them talking inside all the way down there?"

"Depending on echo, it should be fairly clear."

"Perfect, that is where I'll put it on the north side, then. Osprey, where do you think the most action will occur that we'll want to track?"

"About a quarter of the way down the facade there: that should be good."

As Ari slowly stepped down on the roof and walked along the edge, Osprey continued, "She's leaving the building, Avant. Careful."

Ari quickly leaned down to affix the device, staying low to blend in as well as she could with the flat lines of the roof. "Get out of there, Avant. Find cover."

"Almost done, please hold."

Once Ari felt confident that the device was set, she clicked it on and pushed back and up, into the sky, looking like she was floating along in a pool. She found cover behind the next warehouse, peeking around the side street, waiting for the woman to turn the corner and spot her, again. Ari's heart was pounding with adrenaline. She loved this part of hero work; although, she couldn't imagine doing this everyday. _I'm gonna have to ask Aizawa about this rush; if he still gets this, even after all these years._

The scene in front of her was lit with pools of moonlight. The murky blackness of the water beyond the warehouse seemed to engulf everything. Ari peered into the darkness, trying to make out anything in the shadow of these giant buildings. _This is why I prefer to be above things. I can't stand the way these buildings close in on my sightlines. _

About an hour and a half later, Osprey gave the all clear. "She looks like she may have given up - finally. She's back inside, heading towards the upper room. Do you have more sensors to place?"

"Yes," Ari said, already pressing one to the wall where the downstairs rooms were on the south side.

She'd snuck out from hiding about 15 minutes earlier, without waiting for anyone to give her the okay. Aizawa had spotted her, but didn't want to chastise her while she was actually focused on working. He'd wait. He watched her place the sensor and move back into the shadows. "Where should the last one go?" Ari queried.

"We still don't have anything on the eastern entrance, even though there are two doors on that side of the building," Osprey noted.

"I'll pop it into the window above the main door on that wall, then. It should pick up a good amount there."

"Place it and get back to position, Avant. You two watch for the next few hours while I go patrol the area," this from Aizawa.

"Understood," Osprey chimed in.

"Do your thing," Avant said.

Osprey and Avant waited in the shadows of the pier for another few hours. Getting nauseous and needing to take a break from straining her quirk, Osprey decided to bug Avant, whether the boys could hear them or not. "Psst, Avant, why won't you just tell me?"

"Osprey, you don't have to _psst_ at me. Everyone can hear us whether you do that or not. And if I wouldn't tell you before, why would I tell you now?"

"Well, all their activity is inside, so it isn't like we can really do much. Talk to me."

"I don't want to distract anyone…" Ari trailed off. _If Aizawa ends up in a situation, I wouldn't know, and I don't want him distracted by whatever Miroki might choose to spring on me._

"You sound a little, hmmm, concerned, Ari. Is that what I'm hearing in your voice?"

Ari couldn't take the teasingly knowing tone of her voice, "Focus, Miroki."

Miroki stuck her tongue out to the darkness around her, imagining Ari, "It's Osprey."

After another hour or so, Aizawa's drained voice came back on the headset and released them. "We should debrief before the sun comes up, so you all can make it to your afternoon workouts," he drawled. "And since neither of you have spoken a word for a while, either there's been no activity or you've fallen asleep."

_You know I can stay up all night, Shota_, Ari thought reflexively, but was careful not to let the words slip from her lips. She just smirked instead and began making her way away from the buildings, back towards the rendezvous point. "It'll be nice not to have to ride in the car with Suru," Ari stated, instead.

"I resent that," Oak stated from back at the watch room on campus. Osprey, who was also making her way away from the buildings, did a double take at the edge of the alley that she knew Ari had been hiding in. The long-legged blonde was walking around the warehouse corner and towards the entrance to the alley. She wasn't moving as if to pursue Ari, but she was definitely tracking her movements and peering after Ari intently. _I'll have to report this to Aizawa when we get back to campus. I don't want to make Ari uncomf - wait, what if someone is hiding to ambush her in the next alley? _"Avant, the blonde is watching you in the alley. They aren't pursuing, just watching. It's actually really creepy."

"I'm headed your direction, Avant," Aizawa replied, suddenly sounding much more alert.

"Wait, how did she even know where I was? I've been completely aware of my surroundings all night. No one's been watching me." Ari's heart was racing.

It took her back to the burglary and to the attack on Kayda and her family. She felt overwhelmed. Her face flushed. Her hands twitched. The anxiety swelled into the pit of her stomach like a breaking wave. Her shuddering breaths were distinctly audible over everyone else's headset.

"Avant, you okay?" Oak asked, feeling frustrated that he was all the way back on campus.

"She's fine. Avant, I'm coming up alongside you. It's just me, okay? I'm on your right."

Ari couldn't turn her head. Fear had locked her bones in place. She could only continue taking steps away from the woman, whose gaze she now felt on her back like the sting of a slap. _It feels like she has me by the back of my neck, but I know she isn't there. It's okay, Ari. Just let Shota help you. _

_You shouldn't need help. You're a pro-fucking hero. How could you let this happen to you? You're a failure. How do you ever expect that you'll be able to help people, with all this fear inside you?_

Ari could feel herself slipping. The air around her whipped up in criss-crossing patterns.

"Arashi, she isn't following you. I am here. You are safe. Deep breaths. I'm going to put my arm around your waist, so you can lean on me, okay?"

At first, his voice was in her ear, and then, all at once she heard him, felt him, could smell his comfortable coffee-scented presence. She focused on the feeling of his arm connecting with her body. Then on his fingers, which were lightly gripping at her waist. Ari tuned into the feeling of the wind twisting and toying with her hair. Then she focused on the way that she could slow the wind down, making it less frantic.

Taking a full, deep breath in through her nose, she could finally turn her head to look at Aizawa and she took in his creased but determined brow. With her second deep breath, she breathed in his calm energy; his stoic presence. And with her third, she relished in the scent of coffee and petrichor that followed him, trapped in the folds of his baggy clothes.

She stopped and stared at him until he looked back down to her. Nothing could be said out loud while they were wearing their earpieces, but Ari did her best to make sure that Shota could see the gratefulness and affection in her eyes.

"We should keep, moving, Miss Rose," Aizawa attempted to say flatly, but his voice had softened some, once he saw the fear in her eyes again.

She nodded at him and pulled him forward with her. When they finally reached the rendezvous point, Miroki was waiting next to the open car door. "Avant! Are you okay?"

Miroki shuffled Ari into the back seat and climbed in after her. Once she was all buckled in and secure, Miroki dragged Ari down to lay across her lap. "Let me massage your scalp, Ari. It'll help you feel better on the long drive."

Ari silently relented and let Miroki take her hair in her hands. Ari felt the light circles on her temples and moaned lightly when she felt Miroki's nails lightly scrape her scalp. Aizawa couldn't help but feel a little jealous that he wasn't able to comfort Ari, but he could feel her gaze on the back of his head, soft and sleepy. _Why did that have to happen to her, tonight? _

_Why didn't I think of the possibility of this? _

The group rode back to campus in silence where they changed back into their street clothes and Aizawa met with Suru and listened over what had been recorded thus far. "We can plug this into the police files tomorrow morning and they can petition for a warrant. Good work tonight."

"Eraserhead, is Ari okay? Panic isn't really her M.O. She's always so confident. None of them got their hands on her, right?"

"She's safe, Saito. After the break in at her home, it is only logical that she feels anxious when pushed to those limits. She'll be fine after a while."

Ari confidently turned the corner back into the classroom, putting on her best fake smile. "Are we free to go, yet? What kind of debrief do we really need, Aizawa?"

"Rose, we at least need to have a timeline of events stated. Take a seat."

"Yes, sir," Ari quipped back in English, lightly teasing, but also slightly still on edge.

When Miroki finally joined, Aizawa went over the evening with them for another hour or more, probing them for details. The classroom was quiet and calm. The only sounds were the trainees responses peppered with the ticking of the clock at the back of the room. Finally, an hour before daybreak, Aizawa released them for the evening. Walking back to the recording room, he locked up the equipment and the evidence, and prepared to escort Ari home. She caught him at the corner of the hallway. "Shota, I'm fine, really. I'm going to go stay with Miroki tonight. I know you want to listen to those tapes, and I'm just too exhausted to -"

"You think I'd take you home and ask you for that after the night you've had? I hope you aren't foolish enough to think that's the reason you've been staying with me, Ari. I would like nothing more than to take you home and comfort you tonight, but if Miroki has offered her home to you as a place of refuge, I understand," he stated, masking his frustration.

"Well, I'm obviously pretty foolish, so I don't know what I was thinking. I'll just leave you to it, Eraserhead."

Struck by her defensive tone, Aizawa sighed in defeat and turned back to the recording room. "I really should go ahead and make copies of what we have so far to turn into the police as soon as possible. Goodnight, Avant."

Frustrated, ashamed and hurt without really understanding why, Ari turned on her heel and strode away from him. _Ugh, I shouldn't have talked to him that way. It's not like he did anything wrong at all. I just - _Ari's thoughts silenced as the tension in her heart twisted and tightened.

Miroki's smiling face looked up from her phone when Ari approached, "I was just updating Kida on our night and inviting her over to stay with us. I don't think she's even awake, though."

Ari threaded her arm through Miro's and together they walked to her dorm to fall asleep, cuddled up in the soft nest of pillows and blankets that Miroki called a bed.


	7. The Eraserhead Tryst: Jedidiah

Ari woke up around 3 the next afternoon, and Miroki was already awake and cooking, humming to herself. Watching her from the bed while she stretched, Ari couldn't help but smile. There was sunlight streaming in from the geometric-print curtains and sizzling eggs in the pan on the stove. "I think I'm in love with you, Miroki," Ari sighed.

The woman gasped in response and turned. It took her a moment to find Ari's eyes, as buried as she was in blankets. "Don't tease me, like that, Ari. You know I would fall in love with you, too," Miroki taunted, scrunching up her nose.

"Mmmm," Ari moaned and stretched some more. She snatched her phone from the table and read through the messages Kiko had sent to the group text.

Kiko - **Are you okay, Ari? Miroki told me about last night.**

Miro - **She's good, we cuddled through it this morning. I'm making her breakfast. She's still sleeping :)**

Miro - **do you want to come over and join us, Kida?**

Kiko - **No thank you, I have already eaten and have a few errands to run.**

Ari - **Thank you for asking, Kiko. I feel very well-rested thanks to Miro.**

She flicked the pillow covering her head away from her and continued, "It's been so long since I slept so soundly, and with so many blankets. Thank you."

"Of course. That panic attack must have wiped you out, huh?"

"I guess so," Ari shrugged, trying to ignore the embarrassment she felt.

"Do you think you'll be okay to go back tonight?"

"I have to be, Miro. It's what heroes do. I'm not interested in not doing my best. And I have to learn how to deal with these things, you know?"

"What resolve! I completely agree. And I so want to be here for you in any way that I can be. But also, what do you mean, you haven't slept with so many blankets in so long? We both know you aren't sleeping at your place. Could your secret lover be - oh I don't know - a _minimalist_?"

"I have a feeling you know and you're dragging it out for the drama, now."

"Probably, but I'll never guess who, so that you never have to tell."

"I appreciate that. How long before we have to be on campus?"

"Another 3 hours. We can shower and watch some tv before we get ready, if you want."

"Oooh, like together? Conserving water is important, you know."

Miroki blushed deeply, not prepared for such bold flirtation. She bashfully responded with, "You know very well that isn't what I meant. Get out of bed and come get your breakfast."

Slowly unwinding herself from the blankets Ari stated, "Yes, ma'am. Thank you for cooking." She placed a quick peck on her petite friend's cheek as she took the plate from her hand. "You're the greatest."

"I know. Now, _I'm_ going to shower - by myself - and then I'll be back out to watch some tv."

Ari just nodded, mouth already stuffed with the scrumptious food Miroki had prepared.

She ate in a peaceful silence, gazing out the window to the street and sidewalks below. _How do people just go about their day, especially when they _have _to be aware of how much villainy is happening all around them? _

_I wonder if Aizawa is actually mad about me not going home with him last night. He did seem somewhat upset when I told him. _

_Yea, but why did I have to go and imply that he wants to have sex? _

_That so wasn't necessary, and I know him better. _

_Probably because I knew I was causing a distraction to what he would have done should he not have felt obligated to be with me. He needed to go over those tapes; this is his operation, after all._

Striding to the sofa, where she'd plugged her phone in for the night, Ari clacked out a quick message to him. **Good morning, Shota. I hope you got some good rest, and I know I didn't get to properly thank you for taking care of me so gently last night. I know I can be really intense when I am stressed, but I appreciate your kindness, more than anything.**

Waiting for a response from Aizawa was typically pretty pointless unless Ari was making concrete plans with him, so she just set her phone down and began to walk away. _Bzzzt._

She pivoted and picked it back up to see what he'd said. **Good morning, Ari. I am glad that you have a friend that can be there for you, as well. I understand the importance of that. See you tonight.**

Smiling Ari quickly scrolled through some of her other notifications. A check in text from Fran and one from Janie, in their group message; an email about gym business from Uncle Patrick; an email from Aunt Cecile with cute photos of a day trip she took to the mountains and lots of sweet "I miss you's." There were some notifications from UA about the camp and some newsletters that she glanced over, but, really, being overseas made it easy to ignore the messages she got when she was around her large friend groups back home.

She checked her _Avant_ profiles, just to be sure she didn't have any fan mail that would be easy or important to respond to. She didn't have a huge following yet, but Cecile had helped with her account set up when she was quite young, and loved getting to play social-media-stage mom while Ari was in high school.

At the top of her private messages was a request from an unknown profile with just a picture of a sea view from what looked like a warehouse window. It simply read, "I'm so happy that I got to see you last night."

Ari stopped, terrified, and took a closer look at the profile photo. It was the view from the warehouse she was watching last night. She could tell because one of the listening devices she'd installed on the exterior was now brazenly lying in the center of the window sill.

"FUCK!" Ari yelled. _What the hell?! What do I do?_

She dialed Aizawa's number and attempted to calm her breathing while waiting for him to pick up.

"Hello, Ari?" he groggily asked on the other end of the line.

"They found our listening devices, Shota. They sent me a picture of one from inside the warehouse. They said they were glad to see me. What the fuck?!"

"It's a tactic, Ari. They are trying to throw you off by frightening you. It's important to find calm and not let your adrenal responses guide your actions." _How did they know that it was Avant? They should have only gotten a brief glance. Her hero costume is too recognizable._ "Did they reach out on your hero profiles or on your personal ones?" he asked.

Ari took a deep breath. The question made her feel a little bit better. _At least it wasn't on my personal profile._ "It was on Avant's."

"Okay. We'll check on the recording software - I mean - I'll check on the recording software when I get to campus. I'm leaving now. Based on what I picked up last night, we can submit for a warrant today. It'll be okay. Save the message to show me when you get to campus today."

"Okay, okay good. What else can I do though? It's not like I can block them and be done with it."

"Just come in tonight and do your job. Keep these villains from making anyone else feel scared this way."

Closing her eyes, Ari realized how true his words were. "You're right. Thank you, Shota. Shit, Miroki is getting out of the shower, and it's my turn next. I gotta go."

"See you tonight, Ari."

"See you soon," she flatly signed off.

Miroki walked out from the bathroom and spotted Ari on the couch, bathing in the sunlight, and smiled. When Ari looked up from the phone and saw Miroki smiling, she couldn't help but smile back, shaky as her facade was. _I can't let her know and be freaked out, too_. So Ari flirted, "What's up gorgeous?"

But Miroki caught the tension in her friend's statement. "You okay?"

"Yea, I'm just so ready to let the hot water run over me. Do you have an extra towel?"

"Yup!" Miroki pranced around the corner to her linen closet.

She tossed the towel into Ari's lap and dipped back into the bathroom to turn the water back on. "The water is still warm. No sense letting it get cool again."

Ari thanked her friend and got up to walk into the bathroom. She used one hand to pull off her pants and the other to check the water temperature. There wasn't a hook to hang her towel on, so Ari just slung it over the shower rod and stripped off her shirt, leaving her clothes on the floor behind her. The water scalded her when she dipped under it, but she didn't actually mind. It shocked her system and turned her skin pink. She adjusted the water by a fraction, so that she wouldn't burn herself, and sat letting it massage the tension from her shoulders and neck.

Miroki sat on the couch, listening to the shower and combing out her hair. Ari's phone buzzed from the kitchen table with a notification. _Don't do it, Miroki. She doesn't need you snooping. _

_But I already _know _she is sleeping with Aizawa. I just want proof for my own sanity. _

Miroki couldn't help herself. She crept towards the table and gently flipped it so she could see the screen. She thumbed over the glass. _Oops, I didn't _mean _to unlock it. I can't believe Ari doesn't have a password!_

She had a barrage of notifications, most of them from social media and messaging apps. Still on the screen, though, was the message from the random profile. _Wait, who would have seen her last - OH MY GOD! This villain knew exactly who Ari was! And Ari recognized her from somewhere! Fuck! She can't go back there tonight: not if this person knows what her hero name is and that she was there last night. I have to make sure Aizawa knows. _

Thinking reactively, Miroki grabbed her own phone and called Aizawa's office phone. He picked up after a few rings. "Don't think you're getting out of training this evening, Miss Fujita."

"I need to catch whoever the hell sent Ari this creepy ass message, Aizawa. You know about this already, right? I see that her last call out of her phone was you. What are you planning to do to keep her safe?!"

"Miss Fujita, calm down. Miss Rose is a completely capable hero. She can one: defend herself; and two: decide how she would like to respond to this situation. You are not her caretaker, and neither, technically, am I in this training camp. She has every right and responsibility to make the decision herself. Respect her autonomy that much, at least."

Fully dressed down, Miroki paused and listened to Ari humming in the shower. She sighed into her cellphone's receiver. "I guess, Mr. Aizawa. Thank you for not holding back. I needed that. I care for her deeply, even if I have only gotten to know her for two weeks."

"She is a good woman and has the potential to be a great hero. I will do everything in my power to foster that potential in all of you while you are working with me. And I will also do my best to protect all of you, as well."

Ari heard Miroki talking with someone, but ignored it and began singing to herself. When she finally got out, after a good half hour or so, she patted herself dry and wrapped the towel around her. Her clothes were missing from the floor. _Miroki is such a sweetheart. I hope I haven't imposed on her too much._ Ari turned the corner into the main room.

Miroki sat with a serene smile and patted the seat next to her on the couch. "May I brush your hair, Ari?"

"Ooh, yes please. That would be lovely. Did you get my clothes? I'm sorry to have left them just lying on the floor like that."

"Oh really, it's no problem. I just popped them into the laundry machine for a quick refresh wash."

"You're amazing," Ari stated, relinquishing her hair to her friend.

"Are you planning to go on our assignment again tonight?"

Ari tensed and thought of the message she'd received. Stealing her resolve, she began to respond, when, "I'm sorry, that was too personal. I just hated seeing you so scared last night and would hate to not be there to help if something happened tonight."

Ari sighed and smiled, "Of course you are welcome to ask me a personal question like that Miroki. I don't mind. I need to go tonight. I need to face whoever that is, if I can. And I need to face my fear of the dark; of being watched.

"That burglar should not have shaken me like this," Ari's voice wavered a little with the force of her words, "I will not allow him, or anyone else to affect me like this ever again. And this is a great proving ground for my resolve. I can do this."

Miroki sheepishly nodded behind Ari's head and said, "You're so tough, Ari. You deserve to be the best hero you can be."

"Thanks, Miro. You're a good friend for helping me articulate all that. It's good to get it out of my head." Turning to face her friend, Ari continued, "And tonight, don't you dare worry about me. If it comes down to completing an objective versus letting me fight on my own. Complete the objective. I'll survive, no matter what. I already have so far."

The sun set as the young adults changed back into their hero costumes and came into the classroom for briefing.

As Ari entered the room, Aizawa cautiously took in Ari and sized her up. _She looks calm and resolved. _Her hair tonight was braided, thanks to Miroki, but some wild wisps had already strayed from the form and floated around her face. Aizawa couldn't help but long to reach out and tuck the loose strands behind her ear.

Akiko walked into the room to try to join and offer her support to Ari, but the second she turned into the room, she was overwhelmed with the fear Ari was packing away, the anxiety that Miroki, and the - wait - yearning - ? - Aizawa was feeling. Knowing she wouldn't be able to sit through the briefing lecture with these emotions, she turned right back around and left the room to begin the personalized training Aizawa had drafted.

Suru rose to reach out and ask what was wrong, but Aizawa shook his head and said, "She already has her assignment for the night, don't worry about her. We have other work to do."

He coughed and took his place behind the lectern. "The recordings went fuzzy around 6 AM and completely stopped receiving signal not long after. Luckily, I was here going over the tapes and creating hard copies before this happened; because, around the same time, it seems our files were hacked and the original recordings were corrupted."

"They knew we were there. They knew the devices were there," Suru interrupted.

Ari's face went ashen. She already knew that they knew. She'd seen the picture. "Aizawa, should I submit the photo I received today as evidence?"

"I still would like to see it. My concern is that one of the crew has a hacking quirk, and it may already be gone to us."

"Wait, what photo?" Suru asked, but Ari was too focused on the fact that Miroki had been nodding along with her suggestion.

_She totally snooped into my phone. Well, I'm glad she's aware, at least. And I can't fault her for trying to confirm what she already knows without making me say it out loud._

"I received a message on my Avant social media profile with a message from the villain that saw me last night."

"WHA-?!" Suru nearly yelled, jumping up from his seat. "ARE YOU OKAY?"

"Not with you yelling at me, I'm not!" Ari tersely replied, pushing a defensive Miroki back down into her chair.

"Calm down. Avant is fine and has asked to continue on the mission for tonight. That is her decision, and hers alone," he looked pointedly to Miroki. "What we do tonight is important to continuing to compile evidence until the paperwork can be completed. We simply continue on with the reconnaissance and bring any further evidence we garner to the authorities, as well.

"Same general positions and plans as last night. I have more devices that I will be placing, while you three take up positions. Avant. Stay in the shadows of the buildings as best as possible. I would not like you to be visible above the cover of darkness, if at all. There is no point in you being sighted if all they're going to do again is to stay indoors and look for you.

"Osprey. Keep eyes on all movements within the building. And Professor Oak, you need to be next to her sketching everything that she describes. I have this for you," he tossed a notebook to Suru. "Grab a pencil and let's go. This time you're driving, Miss Rose."

Ari's eyes widened with excitement. "YES!" she pumped her fist in the air, momentarily forgetting her anxiety. "I'm glad I could convince you," she teasingly responded.

His left eyebrow quirked up as if to say, _You owe me_. Ari couldn't help her flirtatious smirk.

As soon as she got behind the wheel, Ari flicked the car radio on. "No," Aizawa stated, flicking the radio back off, immediately. "We drive incognito, Avant."

"Incognito in that neighborhood is blasting music, _Eraserhead,_" she shot back.

"We drive nondescript, then. Focus on the road."

Ari drove to the specified rendezvous point for the evening and parallel parked near the door to a laundromat. Habit had her turning the wheel to face the curb, as Aizawa looked on with a quizzically furrowed brow. "It's habit. Keep your judgement to yourself," Ari was starting to feel nervous and thus, a little irritable.

They maneuvered to their positions around the warehouse and began taking notes. Osprey was the first to report, "There are only 3 in there tonight. Ko is in the lab area, working on… whatever she works on. Dog Ear and Danagon are upstairs. The twin builds and the tall guy aren't there tonight."

_So the woman that caught me isn't here? Where could she be? Why wouldn't she be here?_

Aizawa must have been thinking along the same lines. "Avant, you stay low in the alley you're in. You're pretty well-concealed. Before I place the sensors, I'm going to do a sweep of the general vicinity to see if they are hiding anywhere nearby."

Ari heard Aizawa's scarf whoosh overhead. She felt a bit like a newbie middle schooler in their first year of training. It was chafing her to sit and hide like this. "I don't see anyone," Aizawa reported. "I'm placing tonight's sensors and then taking up my position on the east side."  
For another 3 hours they sat in this relative peace. Osprey would comment to Oak every now and then, and Ari's headset picked up Oak mumbling to himself while he sketched. _That's actually adorable, _Ari thought to herself. They were working out a full map of the warehouse, based on what Osprey's x-ray vision was able to pick up.

By 1 AM, Ari was bored and frustrated that she couldn't really offer anything, since she wasn't allowed to float up to the windows and peer in, but none of the villains were leaving the large cinder block structure, so there was no one for her or Aizawa to tail. Then she heard the light crunch of dirty concrete behind her. "Wow, they really sent four of you to monitor us? How important we must be," Ari heard in American English behind her.

She pivoted to look behind her and caught sight of the large man from the villain squad. _When did he have the chance to sneak up on me? Dammit!_

"What's your name?" Ari countered in English, trying to surreptitiously alert the others.

"Jedidiah," he answered, tipping his cowboy hat, "She wanted me to leave you alone, though. I ran into the wrong one of you."

"You couldn't of," Ari called his bluff. "You knew exactly where we all were. What do you want?"

"Oof, you are smart -"

In her ear, Ari could hear Eraserhead, Osprey and Oak planning and preparing to move in to assist her. She said the next phrase in Japanese. "I am, and I'll also take you on _all by myself_ -"

"No you won't, Avant. You don't have to," Osprey quickly shot at her.

"- so I ask again, what do you want?" (The question in English, once more).

"Just wanted to say hey. Introduce myself. _She _didn't want to see you again, but she agreed to let me see what all the fuss was about. She hid me."

_She _hid _him?_ _How the Hell is that possible?_ Ari calmly assessed the situation. _She must be nearby somewhere if she could cloak him to move in close like this._

"Are we fighting, or what?" Ari shot.

"A wind quirk against a precision quirk? I could throw the whole kitchen sink at you, lady, and still kill you."

"Fuck you, asshole. _What? Do? You? Want?"_ Ari spat out from behind gritted teeth.

WIthout much warning he retrieved his knives from the trench coat they were concealed in. Ari's eyes widened and she moved her arms to manipulate the wind around her, causing it to whip up his coat and shake loose one or two of the rest of his arsenal. "Woah, that is strong. She wasn't lying."

"You keep saying that. Who is _She_? Is that her name?"

"The one who sent you that picture this morning. Oh, she'll be so disappointed that you weren't able to recognize her last night," he said, shifting into an attack stance.

"What's her name, then?" Ari taunted back, wary and fearful of fighting this man and testing her metal, but cocky all the same.

"Can't say, but don't worry. We didn't tell those other assholes about your little devices. They have no clue you've attached more to the warehouse, already. And us three will be gone before you even have to worry about questioning us."

"NO!" Ari yelled, lashing out at him with a whip of wind.

"I knew you'd initiate," he dodged backwards and grinned maliciously, flinging his first knife at her. They fought for only a minute or two, both of them were so quick. Ari used her wind to fling the knives he threw to the side, bolstering her confidence. He countered each attack she aimed at him with a deft movement to one side or the other, never retreating backwards.

Completely distracted and unaware of the conversation in her ear, Aizawa was moving to help capture Jedidiah, and Osprey was moving to survey the surroundings better, Oak loyally on her heels, ready to defend against the other two, who they thought might still be hidden in the alleyways between buildings.

"I've just been prodding your edges, for now. Finding your gaps," Jedidiah taunted when his last throw clanged into a trashcan. His eyes flashed a brilliant red and Ari saw spots for a moment. "Locked on," he quietly intoned. His next throw curved around the waves of air Ari was creating and landed with a loud _ch-thunk_ in Ari's thigh, just as Aizawa wrapped his scarf around the villain.

"Oh ho ho, wrangled me, huh?" Jedidiah eerily smiled. "They'll get me out, and if they don't, oh well. What do you have on me, really?"

"You just stabbed a hero. We have enough. Osprey and Oak, get over here and get Avant patched up. She has a throwing knife in her upper thigh. I'm taking this guy to the district police station."

"Eraserhead, let me get Oak to Avant and assure there is no one in their vicinity and accompany you," Osprey countered.

"Move. Quickly."

Aizawa was terse as he watched Ari float back down to the ground and limp to the wall so she could sit down. "I'm sorry, Eraserhead. I failed. Again."

"You're growing, Avant. Give yourself the space to do that. Precision weapons specialists will never be a good match-up for you."

Osprey and Oak turned the corner: Osprey immediately joining Eraserhead and hurrying away with Jedidiah. Oak rushed to lean down to Ari and look at her injury. "Ar-Avant. We have to get this knife out and apply some pressure. Which pouch has first aid supplies?"

He moved to reach around her waist and start opening pouches on her belt, but Ari held out the gauze and wrap to him. "Nice try, Oak," she teased and smiled, even while wincing at the pain her movements caused. "I already took it out before you got here, love. Fix me up, why dontcha?"

He smiled widely at her. "Will do, Avant. Deep breath."

He gripped the handle of the throwing knife tightly in one hand and firmly placed the other hand near her hip joint. Sharply pulling straight up, Oak removed the weapon and tucked it into his hero costume. Knives littered the alley around them, but he didn't want to provide anyone coming upon them with any extra weapons if he could help it.

Ari breathed deeply in through her nose: her vision blurring from the pain. Oak took in her gaunt features and held her face in his hands. "You good, Avant?"

Taking another breath in, she replied, "I will be. Get it wrapped up. Tight please."

She lifted her leg to hold her calf so that Oak could wrap the bandages around her thigh and secure the wrap tightly with a knot. "Can you stand on it, you think?"

"Of course. It'll be sore, but I can still fly, so I don't really need to stand on it."

"Right. Let's get back to the car.

"Eraserhead. Osprey. We're convening at the car and will be waiting there for you for fifteen minutes, max. After that, I'm getting her back to the infirmary and fully patched up."

"Understood. They are booking him now," Osprey responded.

Ari floating and Oak jogging beside her, they made it to the car rather quickly. Ari touched down next to the driver side door. Oak looked at her askance. "I'm the only one that can drive, remember?"

"No you're not," Aizawa stood with his arms crossed behind her. "But you are riding in the back with Osprey. You need to put that leg up and let her monitor you. Let's go."

Miro had slipped into the other side of the car and once Ari was in the back with the door shut, she gently lifted Ari's leg to place it across her lap and inspected the wound.

With Ari's leg raised up and into Miro's lap, Ari pulled her phone out to update and warn Kiko of the possible stressors.

Ari - **Kiko, we are headed back to campus early. I got stabbed.**

Miro whipped out her own phone and clicked out, **She's way too calm about all of it. I'm freaked out.**

Ari - **If you're still on campus, you may want to just go home, so you don't have to deal with this energy.**

Kiko - **Of course I'll deal with the energy! How bad is the bleeding? How far are you from campus?**

Ari paused, a little light headed and, now, nauseous, being in the back of a moving vehicle. She leaned back into the headrest and began to close her eyes.

"Miss Fujita, do not let her fall asleep," Aizawa warned from the front seat.

Miroki lightly slapped Ari's cheeks. "Hey! I wasn't actually falling asleep. I'm just… dizzy," she drawled.

Keeping one eye on Ari, Miro responded to Akiko. **They were able to take out the knife and wrap it on site. We are probably 20 minutes away, but Aizawa is driving pretty fast… ;)**

Kiko - **Okay, the sooner you can get to Recovery Girl, Ari, the better.**

Ari smiled at the way Miro's insinuation seemed to go right over Kiko's head. _Or maybe she is blatantly ignoring it: I'll have to figure out how to get a rise out of her, _Ari thought dreamily. _She's such a fun challenge._

_Ugh, why did these people have to creep up out of nowhere? I was really looking forward to a challenging, but villain-free summer. Why did I think that Japan wouldn't be littered with bad guys?_


End file.
